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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. prune — to trim
  3. chip — to eat
  4. lie — to recline
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. craft — boats
  9. swing — to play on
  10. prune — to trim
  11. cap — of ice
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. swing — in golf
  14. stand — to bear
  15. cap — a hat
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. craft — a skill
  18. cap — a lid
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. swing — music
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. lie — an untruth

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