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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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 old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. staff — a stick
  3. rule — a law
  4. pit — in a race
  5. pit — a hole
  6. perch — the fish
  7. staff — employees
  8. staff — employees
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. can — a tin
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. swing — music
  15. cell — a phone
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. chair — a leader
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. swing — in golf
  20. can — to be able to
  21. can — a tin
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. swing — to play on
  24. cell — in biology

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