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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. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. rule — government
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. pit — in a race
  7. shower — to wash
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. pit — a hole
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. shower — rain
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. bulb — for light
  18. rule — a law
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. bulb — for light
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. rush — a thrill

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