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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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  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. stand — to bear
  2. firm — decided
  3. kid — to tease
  4. mate — a partner
  5. firm — steady
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. bear — the animal
  8. mate — a friend
  9. firm — a company
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. bear — the animal
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. season — of the year
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. kid — child
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. mate — to breed
  20. chip — for betting
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. season — in sport
  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