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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: stand · track · ground · degree · arm · present · chip · swing

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. track — a path
  3. stand — to bear
  4. swing — to play on
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. chip — for betting
  8. track — to keep track
  9. present — a gift
  10. ground — a position
  11. degree — from a university
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. chip — to eat
  14. degree — an amount
  15. swing — in golf
  16. degree — temperature
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. ground — the earth
  19. swing — music
  20. present — there
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. ground — crushed
  23. track — a song
  24. arm — a part of something

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