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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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. rule — government
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. march — music
  5. march — the month
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. stand — to bear
  8. bass — the fish
  9. rush — hurry
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. bass — low music
  14. march — the month
  15. pitch — completely
  16. last — final
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. rule — a law
  21. last — to go on
  22. pound — a weight
  23. last — finally
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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