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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: field · suit · lean · pit · root · swing · chip · stand

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. chip — for betting
  4. field — for sport
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. field — a subject
  7. pit — a hole
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. swing — music
  10. pit — in a race
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. root — of a plant
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. suit — to fit
  15. root — of a word
  16. lean — to bend
  17. stand — to bear
  18. swing — to play on
  19. suit — clothes
  20. root — the cause
  21. lean — thin
  22. field — farmland
  23. chip — to eat
  24. suit — in cards

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