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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. suit — to fit
  3. degree — from a university
  4. lie — to recline
  5. perch — the fish
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. present — a gift
  8. present — there
  9. degree — temperature
  10. chest — of your body
  11. rule — a law
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. suit — in cards
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. chest — a box
  16. present — the time now
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. suit — clothes
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. chest — of your body
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. degree — an amount

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