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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. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. vault — a safe
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. rash — hasty
  9. bass — low music
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. rule — government
  13. rule — a law
  14. mine — for digging
  15. stand — to bear
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. file — a line of people
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. file — a document
  20. bass — the fish
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. rash — a series
  23. file — a tool
  24. mine — belonging to me

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