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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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. chip — to eat
  4. deal — to handle
  5. season — of the year
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. band — a music group
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. band — a ring
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. bank — for money
  14. stand — to bear
  15. row — to paddle
  16. bank — of a river
  17. row — a line
  18. chip — for betting
  19. bank — for money
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. season — in sport
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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