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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 116 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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. rule — government
  3. fall — the season
  4. rule — a law
  5. net — for catching
  6. net — in sport
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. spell — magic
  10. net — after costs
  11. chip — for betting
  12. chip — to eat
  13. pass — a permit
  14. spell — a short time
  15. fall — to drop
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. object — a thing
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. object — to protest
  20. spell — letters
  21. pitch — completely
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. fall — to drop
  24. object — an aim

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