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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 116 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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. firm — a company
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. pitch — completely
  6. field — farmland
  7. pop — to visit
  8. chip — to eat
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. pop — music
  12. field — a subject
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. firm — decided
  16. field — for sport
  17. rock — music
  18. fork — in a road
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. pop — soda
  21. rock — a stone
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. firm — steady

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