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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. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. face — to confront
  3. deal — to handle
  4. kick — in football
  5. fall — to drop
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. face — to point toward
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. fall — the season
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. face — part of the head
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. rule — government
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. pitch — completely
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. fall — to drop
  22. rule — a law
  23. vault — a safe
  24. kick — with a leg

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