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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 120 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 speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. rest — what's left
  7. capital — a city
  8. rule — a law
  9. rest — a break
  10. degree — an amount
  11. stand — to bear
  12. rest — what's left
  13. rule — government
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. degree — from a university
  16. capital — money
  17. saw — the tool
  18. saw — the tool
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. degree — temperature
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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