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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. When are we going to ________________?
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. current — of water
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. swing — music
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. current — electric
  8. stand — to bear
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. land — a country
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. current — happening now
  13. swing — in golf
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. chip — to eat
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. swing — to play on
  21. land — ground
  22. chip — for betting
  23. pass — a permit
  24. stand — for spectators

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