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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. suit — to fit
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. charge — a price
  7. stand — to bear
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. rule — a law
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. chip — for betting
  13. suit — clothes
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. net — after costs
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. chip — to eat
  18. lie — to recline
  19. charge — electricity
  20. rule — government
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. net — in sport
  23. charge — in control
  24. net — for catching

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