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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. rule — a law
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. toast — bread
  7. land — to come down
  8. stem — to come from
  9. rule — government
  10. roll — a list
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. roll — a cake
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. land — a country
  18. foot — a measure
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. land — ground
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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