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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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Word bank
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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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. snap — to click
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. rule — a law
  11. root — of a word
  12. chip — for betting
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. root — of a plant
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. game — wild animals
  19. rule — government
  20. game — a match
  21. chip — to eat
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. root — the cause

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