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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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. spring — the season
  3. spring — of water
  4. fall — to drop
  5. band — a ring
  6. suit — in cards
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. rule — government
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. band — a music group
  11. mate — a friend
  12. suit — to fit
  13. rock — music
  14. spring — a coil
  15. rock — a stone
  16. fall — the season
  17. suit — clothes
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. mate — to breed
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. fall — to drop
  23. mate — a partner
  24. rule — a law

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