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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 120 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. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. rule — a law
  3. saw — the tool
  4. pitch — completely
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. saw — the tool
  10. hand — in cards
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. wake — a trail
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. pit — in a race
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. rule — government
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. pitch — a sports field
  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