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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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. land — to come down
  3. pit — a hole
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. rule — a law
  6. fine — all right
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. land — a country
  11. stand — to bear
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. pitch — completely
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. pit — in a race
  21. fine — high quality
  22. land — ground
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. rule — government

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