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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: ground · bay · chip · spell · saw · tear · ball · stand

  1. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  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. tear — from crying
  2. ground — the earth
  3. chip — for betting
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. tear — to rip
  6. saw — the tool
  7. saw — the tool
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. stand — to bear
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. ground — a position
  14. spell — magic
  15. spell — letters
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. ball — a dance
  18. spell — a short time
  19. tear — from crying
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. ground — crushed
  23. ball — a great time
  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