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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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468
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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. False peace will not ________________.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. staff — a stick
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. staff — employees
  5. swing — music
  6. stand — to bear
  7. last — final
  8. degree — temperature
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. degree — from a university
  11. staff — employees
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. chip — to eat
  14. chip — for betting
  15. kick — in football
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. degree — an amount
  21. last — finally
  22. swing — to play on
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. swing — in golf

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