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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. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. stem — to come from
  3. rule — government
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. squash — the sport
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. sharp — clever
  10. squash — to crush
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. rush — hurry
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. last — final
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. last — to go on
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. last — finally
  22. rule — a law
  23. pass — a permit
  24. sharp — with an edge

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