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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 can't ________________ this cold.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. rest — what's left
  3. rest — a break
  4. land — a country
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. dip — to sink
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. rest — what's left
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. mine — for digging
  19. land — ground
  20. land — to come down
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. season — in sport
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. season — of the year

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