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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 116 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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. stand — to bear
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. land — to come down
  5. land — a country
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. season — in sport
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. ball — a great time
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. ball — a dance
  14. land — ground
  15. can — to be able to
  16. pitch — completely
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. can — a tin
  19. chip — for betting
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. chip — to eat
  22. season — of the year
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. can — a tin

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