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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 120 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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. cue — a hint
  4. mate — a friend
  5. stand — to bear
  6. bore — to drill
  7. mate — a partner
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. rule — government
  10. game — a match
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. pass — a permit
  14. rule — a law
  15. cue — a signal
  16. game — wild animals
  17. can — a tin
  18. cue — for pool
  19. bore — to tire
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. mate — to breed
  22. can — to be able to
  23. can — a tin
  24. stand — on your feet

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