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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 chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. row — a line
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. swing — music
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. drill — a practice
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. swing — in golf
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. rule — a law
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. swing — to play on
  14. row — to paddle
  15. drill — the tool
  16. drill — army training
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. pit — a hole
  20. rush — hurry
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. pit — in a race
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. rule — government

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