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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 chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. tube — the underground
  3. present — a gift
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. rule — a law
  7. net — for catching
  8. net — in sport
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. present — there
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. tube — a container
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. rule — government
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. net — after costs
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. present — the time now
  24. mouse — for a computer

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