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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. cell — in biology
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. fine — all right
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. suit — clothes
  8. rule — government
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. stand — to bear
  13. suit — to fit
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. chip — for betting
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. chip — to eat
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. fine — high quality
  23. rule — a law
  24. cell — a phone

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