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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. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. object — to protest
  3. spring — a coil
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. object — a thing
  6. object — an aim
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. pit — a hole
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. court — of a king
  11. court — for sport
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. rule — a law
  14. court — of law
  15. rule — government
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. pit — in a race
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. spring — of water
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. spring — the season
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. safe — a strongbox

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