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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. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. staff — employees
  5. tear — to rip
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. bear — the animal
  11. kid — to tease
  12. tear — from crying
  13. staff — a stick
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. tear — from crying
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. kid — child
  19. mark — a trace
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. rule — a law
  22. staff — employees
  23. bear — the animal
  24. mark — a grade

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