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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. suit — to fit
  3. net — after costs
  4. court — for sport
  5. suit — in cards
  6. drill — the tool
  7. court — of law
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. net — for catching
  10. rest — what's left
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. stand — to bear
  13. drill — a practice
  14. rest — a break
  15. suit — clothes
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. rule — a law
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. court — of a king
  21. drill — army training
  22. rule — government
  23. net — in sport
  24. rest — what's left

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