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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. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. saw — the tool
  4. rule — a law
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. wound — an injury
  7. mark — a trace
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. cap — a lid
  10. rule — government
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. cap — of ice
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. stem — to come from
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. cap — a hat
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. mark — a grade
  21. wound — an injury
  22. tube — the underground
  23. tube — a container
  24. saw — the tool

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