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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. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. net — after costs
  8. net — for catching
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. kick — in football
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. rule — a law
  18. net — in sport

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