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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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. wound — an injury
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. pit — a hole
  5. face — part of the head
  6. drill — a practice
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. drill — the tool
  11. rule — government
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. rule — a law
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. pit — in a race
  16. face — to point toward
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. wound — an injury
  19. face — to confront
  20. squash — to crush
  21. squash — the sport
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. drill — army training

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