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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. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. game — wild animals
  4. rash — a series
  5. rule — government
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. rule — a law
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. rash — hasty
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. chip — for betting
  14. chip — to eat
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. lie — to recline
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. perch — the fish
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. game — a match
  23. wake — a trail
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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