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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 120 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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. The water is too ________________.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. rule — government
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. pass — a permit
  9. spring — of water
  10. suit — in cards
  11. spring — the season
  12. cold — the Cold War
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. spring — a coil
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. suit — clothes
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. cold — not warm
  20. suit — to fit
  21. rule — a law
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. cold — an illness

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