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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: field · suit · swing · key · stand · firm · chip · ground

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  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. suit — clothes
  2. stand — to bear
  3. ground — the earth
  4. key — for a lock
  5. suit — to fit
  6. suit — in cards
  7. ground — crushed
  8. chip — for betting
  9. field — for sport
  10. firm — a company
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. field — a subject
  13. field — farmland
  14. key — the most important part
  15. firm — decided
  16. swing — to play on
  17. chip — to eat
  18. firm — steady
  19. swing — music
  20. ground — a position
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. swing — in golf
  23. key — in music
  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