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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. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. bark — to shout
  7. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  8. rule — government
  9. kid — to tease
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. drill — army training
  12. season — in sport
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. foot — a measure
  18. kid — child
  19. season — of the year
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. rule — a law
  22. drill — a practice
  23. lie — to recline
  24. foot — part of the body

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