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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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. staff — a stick
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. chip — to eat
  5. fine — high quality
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. fall — the season
  8. staff — employees
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. fall — to drop
  11. band — a ring
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. chip — for betting
  14. squash — the sport
  15. squash — to crush
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. band — a music group
  18. staff — employees
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. stand — to bear
  22. fine — all right
  23. fall — to drop
  24. bowl — a football final

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