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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. spell — magic
  3. chip — for betting
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. firm — a company
  6. stand — to bear
  7. firm — steady
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. pit — a hole
  11. spell — a short time
  12. row — a line
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. rule — government
  15. row — to paddle
  16. chip — to eat
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. firm — decided
  19. spell — letters
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. rule — a law

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