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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. rule — a law
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. pit — in a race
  5. suit — clothes
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. firm — steady
  9. suit — in cards
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. firm — a company
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. rule — government
  14. suit — to fit
  15. bat — the animal
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. firm — decided
  18. sharp — clever
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. bat — in an idiom
  21. mug — to rob
  22. mug — a cup
  23. mug — a face
  24. sharp — with an edge

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