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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. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. pit — in a race
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. saw — the tool
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. saw — the tool
  9. bore — to tire
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. capital — a city
  15. pit — a hole
  16. bore — to drill
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. rule — a law
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. capital — money

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