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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. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. last — to go on
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. rule — government
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. hand — help
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. last — final
  11. hand — in cards
  12. stand — to bear
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. rule — a law
  21. last — finally
  22. deal — to handle
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. pound — a weight

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