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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. sharp — clever
  7. rule — government
  8. game — a match
  9. tube — a container
  10. chair — a leader
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. fine — high quality
  15. game — wild animals
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. tube — the underground
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. fine — all right
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. rule — a law
  24. fine — a penalty

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