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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. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. march — music
  3. march — the month
  4. mate — a partner
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. march — the month
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. rule — a law
  10. can — to be able to
  11. lie — to recline
  12. swing — to play on
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. mate — a friend
  15. swing — music
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. can — a tin
  19. can — a tin
  20. swing — in golf
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. mate — to breed
  24. leaves — 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