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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 cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. toast — bread
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. mug — to rob
  5. pit — in a race
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. mug — a cup
  9. rule — a law
  10. stem — to come from
  11. ground — a position
  12. rule — government
  13. pit — a hole
  14. ground — the earth
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. suit — in cards
  17. mine — for digging
  18. mug — a face
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. suit — to fit
  21. ground — crushed
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. toast — the most admired

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