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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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. bulb — for light
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. rule — government
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. craft — boats
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. fall — the season
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. bulb — for light
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. craft — a skill
  21. fall — to drop
  22. rule — a law
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. snap — to click

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