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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.

Words on the sheet
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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 · wave · fan · can · field · bay · chip · court

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. chip — for betting
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. court — of a king
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. can — to be able to
  11. can — a tin
  12. field — for sport
  13. court — of law
  14. court — for sport
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. stand — to bear
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. field — a subject
  21. field — farmland
  22. can — a tin
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. stand — for spectators

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