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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 chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. lean — to bend
  3. bear — the animal
  4. rule — government
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. track — a path
  9. rule — a law
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. tear — from crying
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. track — a song
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. track — to keep track
  16. pit — in a race
  17. tear — from crying
  18. bear — the animal
  19. perch — the fish
  20. pit — a hole
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. tear — to rip
  23. lean — thin
  24. pit — a fruit 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