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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. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. ground — the earth
  3. rock — a stone
  4. pit — in a race
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. pit — a hole
  7. land — ground
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. can — a tin
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. land — a country
  12. game — a match
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. game — wild animals
  15. toast — bread
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. rule — a law
  18. can — to be able to
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. can — a tin
  21. ground — crushed
  22. ground — a position
  23. rock — music
  24. land — to come down

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