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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. rule — a law
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. lean — to bend
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. wax — to grow
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. degree — from a university
  12. lean — thin
  13. stock — goods
  14. rule — government
  15. stock — shares
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. degree — temperature
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. degree — an amount
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. stock — a soup base

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