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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: spell · club · object · stand · fan · chip · pit · prune

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. chip — for betting
  6. club — a group
  7. stand — to bear
  8. spell — magic
  9. object — an aim
  10. spell — letters
  11. pit — in a race
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. object — a thing
  14. prune — to trim
  15. chip — to eat
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. club — for dancing
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. object — to protest
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. pit — a hole
  22. club — for golf
  23. spell — a short time
  24. prune — to trim

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