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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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. rule — a law
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. kid — child
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. pit — a hole
  9. saw — the tool
  10. wake — a trail
  11. kid — to tease
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. pit — in a race
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. rule — government
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. stand — to bear
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. saw — the tool

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