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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. last — finally
  3. last — final
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. suit — in cards
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. tube — a container
  8. bark — to shout
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. rule — government
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. rule — a law
  15. last — to go on
  16. lie — to recline
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. suit — clothes
  20. toast — bread
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. tube — the underground
  24. bark — of a tree

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