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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 120 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. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. stand — to bear
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. ball — a dance
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. mark — a trace
  9. ball — a great time
  10. scale — size or range
  11. season — of the year
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. season — in sport
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. chip — for betting
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. mark — a grade
  21. scale — in music
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. chip — to eat

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