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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. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. pass — a permit
  7. last — final
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. last — to go on
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. rule — government
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. lie — to recline
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. rule — a law
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. last — finally
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. rock — a stone

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