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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. 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 — for spectators
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. pit — a hole
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. stem — to come from
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. pit — in a race
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. net — after costs
  11. net — for catching
  12. net — in sport
  13. stand — to bear
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. rule — government
  20. pass — a permit
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. sharp — clever
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. 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