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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 chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. cell — a phone
  5. pass — a permit
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. rule — a law
  15. cell — in biology
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. bark — to shout
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. vault — a safe
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. rule — government
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. sharp — clever

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