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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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. rule — a law
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. chip — to eat
  8. mine — for digging
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. rule — government
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. stock — shares
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. chip — for betting
  22. pitch — completely
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. stock — goods

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