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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 116 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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. last — final
  3. object — to protest
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. object — a thing
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. pit — in a race
  8. last — finally
  9. last — to go on
  10. spell — magic
  11. board — to get on
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. board — a committee
  14. land — to come down
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. stand — to bear
  17. spell — a short time
  18. land — a country
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. land — ground
  21. pit — a hole
  22. spell — letters
  23. object — an aim
  24. stand — on your feet

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