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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 seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. rash — a series
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. fine — all right
  6. cell — in biology
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. fine — high quality
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. band — a music group
  11. rash — hasty
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. chip — for betting
  14. pit — a hole
  15. lean — thin
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. band — a ring
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. cell — a phone
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. chip — to eat
  22. lean — to bend
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. pit — in a race

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