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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. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. pass — a permit
  7. rule — government
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. mark — a trace
  11. foot — a measure
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. rule — a law
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. toast — bread
  19. stand — to bear
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. pound — a weight
  23. mark — a grade
  24. rule — to rule out

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