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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. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. squash — the sport
  3. mate — to breed
  4. squash — to crush
  5. mug — a face
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. bound — certain
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. land — ground
  10. mate — a friend
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. land — to come down
  13. cap — of ice
  14. bound — tied together
  15. mug — to rob
  16. cap — a hat
  17. rule — a law
  18. rule — government
  19. cap — a lid
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. stand — to bear
  22. mug — a cup
  23. bound — obliged
  24. mate — a partner

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