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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 get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. stand — to bear
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. kick — in football
  5. rule — government
  6. land — ground
  7. land — a country
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. rock — a stone
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. tube — a container
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. rock — music
  17. rule — a law
  18. tube — the underground
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. land — to come down
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. safe — a strongbox

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