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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. pit — in a race
  6. bear — the animal
  7. rock — a stone
  8. rule — a law
  9. rock — music
  10. march — music
  11. march — the month
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. chip — to eat
  14. wound — an injury
  15. march — the month
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. pit — a hole
  18. rule — government
  19. bear — the animal
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. chip — for betting
  23. wound — an injury
  24. fan — a supporter

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