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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 kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. present — a gift
  3. rule — government
  4. wake — a trail
  5. saw — the tool
  6. saw — the tool
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. rule — a law
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. scale — size or range
  11. present — the time now
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. fall — to drop
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. fall — the season
  16. season — in sport
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. pass — a permit
  20. fall — to drop
  21. present — there
  22. season — of the year
  23. scale — in music
  24. wake — before a funeral

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