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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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. rule — a law
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. cap — of ice
  5. court — of a king
  6. cap — a hat
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. mark — a trace
  9. mark — a grade
  10. rule — government
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. fall — to drop
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. fall — to drop
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. pit — a hole
  20. plane — a tool
  21. court — for sport
  22. pit — in a race
  23. cap — a lid
  24. court — of law

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