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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 make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. charge — in control
  4. pit — a hole
  5. charge — a price
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. rule — a law
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. root — of a word
  13. stand — to bear
  14. deal — to handle
  15. pass — a permit
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. charge — electricity
  19. root — of a plant
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. root — the cause
  23. pit — in a race
  24. rule — government

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