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

Word bank: fan · deal · chip · wake · rest · pit · stand · key

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  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. pit — in a race
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. key — for a lock
  4. key — in music
  5. chip — to eat
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. rest — a break
  9. pit — a hole
  10. stand — to bear
  11. deal — to handle
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. key — the most important part
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. rest — what's left
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. wake — a trail
  23. rest — what's left
  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