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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. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. season — in sport
  4. rest — what's left
  5. mate — a partner
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. pop — to visit
  8. season — of the year
  9. rule — government
  10. toast — bread
  11. mate — a friend
  12. rest — a break
  13. dip — to sink
  14. mate — to breed
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. pop — soda
  19. fork — in a road
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. rule — a law
  24. pop — music

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