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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 116 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. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. season — of the year
  3. rule — a law
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. march — music
  7. season — in sport
  8. wake — a trail
  9. swing — music
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. mark — a grade
  14. rule — government
  15. march — the month
  16. ground — the earth
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. march — the month
  19. ground — a position
  20. swing — in golf
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. ground — crushed
  23. swing — to play on
  24. mark — a trace

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