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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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. spell — magic
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. spell — letters
  12. foot — a measure
  13. chip — for betting
  14. spell — a short time
  15. chip — to eat
  16. object — an aim
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. kick — in football
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. object — a thing
  22. rule — a law
  23. object — to protest
  24. rule — government

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