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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. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  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. stand — to bear
  2. rule — government
  3. fork — in a road
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. dip — to sink
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. rest — what's left
  11. rest — a break
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. squash — the sport
  14. vault — a safe
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. rule — a law
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. rest — what's left
  20. squash — to crush
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  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