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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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. suit — clothes
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. court — for sport
  5. pit — in a race
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. court — of a king
  10. suit — in cards
  11. rule — a law
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. pit — a hole
  14. lean — to bend
  15. rule — government
  16. race — the arms race
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. court — of law
  19. race — a contest
  20. race — humankind
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. lean — thin
  23. dip — to sink
  24. suit — to fit

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