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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. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. rush — hurry
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. date — the fruit
  5. rule — government
  6. roll — a cake
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. rule — a law
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. current — of water
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. current — happening now
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. roll — a list
  21. current — electric
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. date — on the calendar

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