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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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Word bank
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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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. present — the time now
  3. rule — government
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. pop — to visit
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. land — to come down
  11. land — ground
  12. pop — soda
  13. present — a gift
  14. pass — a permit
  15. pop — music
  16. pit — a hole
  17. present — there
  18. rule — a law
  19. land — a country
  20. pit — in a race
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. hide — to keep secret

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