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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. land — to come down
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. rule — a law
  6. bear — the animal
  7. bear — the animal
  8. cue — for pool
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. rule — government
  11. pit — in a race
  12. cue — a hint
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. land — a country
  15. squash — the sport
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. cue — a signal
  18. land — ground
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. squash — to crush
  24. pit — a hole

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