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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 polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. rash — hasty
  7. rule — government
  8. tube — a container
  9. tube — the underground
  10. rule — a law
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. face — to point toward
  13. pit — in a race
  14. face — part of the head
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. cap — a hat
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. pit — a hole
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. deal — to handle
  22. rash — a series
  23. cap — a lid
  24. face — to confront

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