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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 chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. wound — an injury
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. bound — obliged
  8. rule — a law
  9. suit — to fit
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. suit — in cards
  12. toast — bread
  13. bound — tied together
  14. wound — an injury
  15. snap — to click
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. pass — a permit
  20. suit — clothes
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. bound — certain
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. rule — government

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