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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 120 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. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. pop — music
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. rule — a law
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. season — of the year
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. season — in sport
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. pop — soda
  18. pop — to visit
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. chair — a leader
  24. perch — the fish

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