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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. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. deal — to handle
  3. cap — of ice
  4. cap — a lid
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. sharp — clever
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. roll — a list
  10. present — there
  11. rule — a law
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. toast — bread
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. cap — a hat
  16. present — the time now
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. rock — music
  19. rock — a stone
  20. present — a gift
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. rule — government
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. roll — a cake

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