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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. rush — hurry
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. drill — army training
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. pass — a permit
  9. drill — a practice
  10. stem — to come from
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. drill — the tool
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. charge — electricity
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. rule — a law
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. charge — a price
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. charge — in control
  22. rule — government
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. stem — a stem cell

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