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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 116 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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. land — to come down
  3. pit — a hole
  4. land — ground
  5. prune — to trim
  6. mug — to rob
  7. saw — the tool
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. rush — hurry
  10. board — to get on
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. saw — the tool
  16. prune — to trim
  17. rule — government
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. rule — a law
  20. mug — a face
  21. mug — a cup
  22. board — a committee
  23. land — a country
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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