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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. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. Hold the papers together with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. mine — for digging
  5. deal — to handle
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. clip — to cut
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. rule — a law
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. charge — electricity
  14. charge — in control
  15. rule — government
  16. pit — a hole
  17. charge — a price
  18. clip — a video
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. fork — in a road
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. clip — for paper

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