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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. key — for a lock
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. wake — a trail
  10. key — in music
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. rule — government
  13. rule — a law
  14. pitch — completely
  15. rest — what's left
  16. rest — what's left
  17. mine — for digging
  18. can — to be able to
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. key — the most important part
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. rest — a break
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. can — a tin

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