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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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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 · bay · rush · ground · key · chip · field · rule

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. stand — to bear
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. rule — a law
  7. ground — a position
  8. rule — government
  9. field — a subject
  10. rush — hurry
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. field — for sport
  13. chip — for betting
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. key — for a lock
  16. field — farmland
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. key — in music
  20. ground — crushed
  21. chip — to eat
  22. key — the most important part
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. ground — the earth

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