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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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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. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. march — the month
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. bat — the animal
  5. land — a country
  6. charge — a price
  7. suit — in cards
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. march — music
  10. charge — in control
  11. land — to come down
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. land — ground
  14. pit — a hole
  15. suit — to fit
  16. suit — clothes
  17. march — the month
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. stand — to bear
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. bat — in an idiom
  23. charge — electricity
  24. bat — for baseball

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