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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 train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. tear — to rip
  4. pass — a permit
  5. rule — government
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. staff — employees
  8. fork — in a road
  9. band — a ring
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. staff — employees
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. stand — to bear
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. tear — from crying
  17. toast — bread
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. rule — a law
  22. staff — a stick
  23. tear — from crying
  24. band — a music group

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