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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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. suit — clothes
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. net — for catching
  5. net — after costs
  6. suit — in cards
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. face — part of the head
  9. race — the arms race
  10. race — humankind
  11. pit — a hole
  12. stem — to come from
  13. face — to confront
  14. face — to point toward
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. race — a contest
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. suit — to fit
  21. net — in sport
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. rule — government
  24. pit — in a race

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