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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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. face — part of the head
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. kid — to tease
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. roll — a list
  8. rule — government
  9. present — a gift
  10. present — the time now
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. face — to confront
  14. key — for a lock
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. kid — child
  17. rule — a law
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. key — the most important part
  20. key — in music
  21. present — there
  22. roll — a cake
  23. face — to point toward
  24. temple — a place of worship

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