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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 120 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. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. chip — for betting
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. spell — magic
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. season — in sport
  9. firm — steady
  10. firm — decided
  11. firm — a company
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. stand — to bear
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. spell — letters
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. chip — to eat
  22. spell — a short time
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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