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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. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. bass — the fish
  6. fall — to drop
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. pit — a hole
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. deal — to handle
  11. game — wild animals
  12. key — the most important part
  13. key — for a lock
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. fall — the season
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. mine — for digging
  18. rule — government
  19. key — in music
  20. fall — to drop
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. rule — a law
  23. game — a match
  24. bass — low music

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