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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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. march — music
  3. rule — government
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. can — a tin
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. march — the month
  8. pit — a hole
  9. lean — to bend
  10. can — to be able to
  11. ground — a position
  12. ground — the earth
  13. lean — thin
  14. march — the month
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. rule — a law
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. vault — a safe
  20. can — a tin
  21. pit — in a race
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. ground — crushed
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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