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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. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. rule — a law
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. tube — a container
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. tube — the underground
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. bound — obliged
  9. suit — clothes
  10. suit — to fit
  11. present — there
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. rule — government
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. suit — in cards
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. toast — bread
  19. present — the time now
  20. bound — certain
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. present — a gift
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. bound — tied together

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