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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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. rule — government
  5. pitch — completely
  6. foot — a measure
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. swing — music
  9. snap — to click
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. rule — a law
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. swing — to play on
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. fine — all right
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. chair — a leader
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. stand — to bear
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. swing — in golf

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