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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 116 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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. season — in sport
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. staff — employees
  9. season — of the year
  10. field — farmland
  11. ball — a great time
  12. staff — a stick
  13. chip — to eat
  14. field — a subject
  15. chip — for betting
  16. field — for sport
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. ball — a dance
  19. wind — moving air
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. wind — moving air
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. staff — employees

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