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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. season — in sport
  3. dip — to sink
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. bank — of a river
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. season — of the year
  8. field — for sport
  9. mug — a face
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. file — a line of people
  12. field — a subject
  13. bank — for money
  14. chip — to eat
  15. mug — a cup
  16. file — a tool
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. mug — to rob
  19. stand — to bear
  20. file — a document
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. bank — for money
  23. field — farmland
  24. chip — in a computer

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