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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 strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. chip — for betting
  4. lean — to bend
  5. lean — thin
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. land — to come down
  10. land — ground
  11. wind — moving air
  12. firm — steady
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. land — a country
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. chip — to eat
  18. firm — a company
  19. firm — decided
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. stand — to bear
  24. chip — in a computer

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