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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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. rule — a law
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. suit — in cards
  9. suit — clothes
  10. bat — the animal
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. chip — for betting
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. suit — to fit
  17. chip — to eat
  18. fork — in a road
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. stand — to bear
  23. rule — government
  24. arm — part of the body

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