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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. chip — for betting
  7. swing — in golf
  8. bear — the animal
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. fine — high quality
  12. bear — the animal
  13. swing — to play on
  14. date — the fruit
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. fine — all right
  17. chip — to eat
  18. toast — bread
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. swing — music
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. bear — to put up with

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com