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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. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. The water is too ________________.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — the Cold War
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. cold — not warm
  6. shower — rain
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. rule — a law
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. saw — the tool
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. suit — in cards
  14. stand — to bear
  15. wound — an injury
  16. suit — to fit
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. cold — an illness
  19. saw — the tool
  20. sharp — clever
  21. wound — an injury
  22. shower — to wash
  23. rule — government
  24. suit — clothes

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