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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. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. pit — in a race
  3. bound — certain
  4. bore — to tire
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. pitch — completely
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. pit — a hole
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. bound — obliged
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. perch — the fish
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. bore — to drill
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. rule — a law
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. bound — tied together
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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