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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. clip — for paper
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. clip — to cut
  5. court — of a king
  6. clip — a video
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. court — for sport
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. rule — government
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. court — of law
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. rule — a law

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