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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. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. rule — a law
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. current — happening now
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. perch — the fish
  15. current — electric
  16. rest — a break
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. current — of water
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. rest — what's left
  21. rest — what's left
  22. rule — government
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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