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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. wind — moving air
  3. present — the time now
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. net — after costs
  8. chip — for betting
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. net — in sport
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. chip — to eat
  16. rule — government
  17. pit — in a race
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. pit — a hole
  20. wind — moving air
  21. present — there
  22. rule — a law
  23. net — for catching
  24. present — a gift

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