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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. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. craft — a skill
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. roll — a list
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. key — for a lock
  13. key — in music
  14. wind — moving air
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. wind — moving air
  17. craft — boats
  18. roll — a cake
  19. rule — a law
  20. key — the most important part
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. stand — to bear
  24. coach — a trainer

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