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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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. stand — to bear
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. firm — decided
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. fork — in a road
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. firm — steady
  20. chip — to eat
  21. pitch — completely
  22. firm — a company
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. chip — for betting

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