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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. rule — government
  3. pitch — completely
  4. rush — hurry
  5. bear — the animal
  6. suit — clothes
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. land — a country
  9. land — ground
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. rule — a law
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. bear — the animal
  18. land — to come down
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. suit — in cards
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. rush — to hurry

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