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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. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. wind — moving air
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. wind — moving air
  6. mark — a grade
  7. cap — of ice
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. firm — a company
  10. chip — to eat
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. cap — a hat
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. firm — steady
  17. chip — for betting
  18. stand — to bear
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. mark — a trace
  23. cap — a lid
  24. firm — decided

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