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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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. The water is too ________________.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. net — in sport
  5. mug — to rob
  6. net — for catching
  7. key — in music
  8. cold — not warm
  9. key — the most important part
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. cold — the Cold War
  12. net — after costs
  13. key — for a lock
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. cold — an illness
  16. wax — to grow
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. stem — to come from
  20. mug — a cup
  21. rule — government
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. mug — a face
  24. wax — for sculpting

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