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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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. rule — government
  7. season — in sport
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. can — a tin
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. pass — a permit
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. lie — to recline
  14. rule — a law
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. season — of the year
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. can — a tin
  22. can — to be able to
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. pitch — completely

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