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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 potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. land — to come down
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. land — a country
  8. stand — to bear
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. tube — the underground
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. land — ground
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. chip — for betting
  21. tube — a container
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. coach — a trainer

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