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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  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. stand — on your feet
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. object — a thing
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. pitch — completely
  10. chip — for betting
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. shower — to wash
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. object — to protest
  15. sharp — clever
  16. object — an aim
  17. chip — to eat
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. stand — to bear
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. shower — rain
  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