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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: roll · rule · leaves · court · stand · toast · jam · deal

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. roll — a list
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. deal — to handle
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. rule — a law
  10. rule — government
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. toast — bread
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. roll — a cake
  18. court — of law
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. court — for sport
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. court — of a king

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