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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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. deal — to handle
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. rule — a law
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. pit — a hole
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. rule — government
  20. wax — to grow
  21. stand — to bear
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. pit — in a race
  24. bat — the animal

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