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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. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. stand — to bear
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. suit — to fit
  6. file — a line of people
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. suit — in cards
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. wind — moving air
  15. chip — to eat
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. suit — clothes
  18. file — a document
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. chip — for betting
  22. file — a tool
  23. wind — moving air
  24. wind — to turn a key

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