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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.

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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. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. He was locked up in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. last — final
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. last — finally
  6. cell — in biology
  7. ball — a dance
  8. present — the time now
  9. kick — in football
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. present — there
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. ball — a great time
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. rule — a law
  20. last — to go on
  21. rule — government
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. present — a gift
  24. cell — in a prison

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