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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. rush — hurry
  3. field — farmland
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. suit — clothes
  6. rule — government
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. suit — to fit
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. pound — a weight
  11. rule — a law
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. field — for sport
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. field — a subject
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. chair — a leader
  24. suit — in cards

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