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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 teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. rule — government
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. roll — a cake
  8. stem — to come from
  9. object — a thing
  10. object — an aim
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. object — to protest
  13. saw — the tool
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. lean — to bend
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. saw — the tool
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. rule — a law
  22. pit — in a race
  23. pit — a hole
  24. lean — thin

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