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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. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. wound — an injury
  3. craft — a skill
  4. rule — government
  5. firm — steady
  6. field — farmland
  7. field — for sport
  8. firm — a company
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. craft — boats
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. firm — decided
  13. pitch — completely
  14. rule — a law
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. deal — to handle
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. wound — an injury
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. rush — hurry
  23. field — a subject
  24. rush — to hurry

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