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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. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. rule — a law
  3. wind — moving air
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. date — the fruit
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. lie — to recline
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. roll — a list
  13. pitch — completely
  14. rule — government
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. roll — a cake
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. stand — to bear
  19. wind — moving air
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. lie — an untruth

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