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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 ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. wound — an injury
  4. rule — government
  5. rest — a break
  6. rest — what's left
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. tube — the underground
  9. wound — an injury
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. rest — what's left
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. wind — moving air
  18. wind — moving air
  19. tube — a container
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. rule — a law
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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