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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. pit — in a race
  3. rule — government
  4. roll — a cake
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. board — to get on
  7. deal — to handle
  8. roll — a list
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. stand — to bear
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. track — a path
  17. rule — a law
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. track — a song
  22. board — a committee
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. track — to keep track

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