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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. rule — government
  3. shower — to wash
  4. snap — to click
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. staff — a stick
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. tear — to rip
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. staff — employees
  14. rule — a law
  15. stand — to bear
  16. staff — employees
  17. tear — from crying
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. chip — to eat
  20. chip — for betting
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. tear — from crying
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. shower — rain

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