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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. stand — to bear
  6. ground — the earth
  7. swing — to play on
  8. chip — for betting
  9. mate — a friend
  10. craft — boats
  11. swing — music
  12. swing — in golf
  13. ground — crushed
  14. craft — a skill
  15. mate — a partner
  16. chip — to eat
  17. ground — a position
  18. bulb — for light
  19. mate — to breed
  20. lean — thin
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. bulb — for light
  24. lean — to bend

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