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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. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. rule — a law
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. track — a song
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. roll — a cake
  8. kick — in football
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. track — to keep track
  13. track — a path
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. sharp — clever
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. rule — government
  23. roll — a list
  24. hide — to keep secret

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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