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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. rule — government
  4. rule — a law
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. stand — to bear
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. squash — to crush
  9. mark — a trace
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. wound — an injury
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. lean — to bend
  16. squash — the sport
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. prune — to trim
  19. wound — an injury
  20. prune — to trim
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. lean — thin
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. squash — the vegetable

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