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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 116 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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. rest — what's left
  3. rule — a law
  4. tear — from crying
  5. court — of a king
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. court — of law
  9. tear — to rip
  10. rest — a break
  11. tear — from crying
  12. rule — government
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. court — for sport
  15. rest — what's left
  16. bark — to shout
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. bark — of a tree

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