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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 120 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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. face — to confront
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. mark — a grade
  6. rule — a law
  7. kid — to tease
  8. object — to protest
  9. face — to point toward
  10. can — a tin
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. object — a thing
  13. mark — a trace
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. can — a tin
  16. face — part of the head
  17. kid — child
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. rule — government
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. can — to be able to
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. object — an aim
  24. nail — on a finger

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