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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  20. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. field — for sport
  4. can — a tin
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. rule — government
  8. foot — a measure
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. pit — in a race
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. capital — money
  16. field — a subject
  17. rule — a law
  18. capital — a city
  19. field — farmland
  20. capital — a big letter
  21. can — a tin
  22. pit — a hole
  23. can — to be able to
  24. mouse — the animal

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