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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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. lean — to bend
  3. squash — the sport
  4. rule — government
  5. lean — thin
  6. spell — a short time
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. spell — letters
  9. track — a path
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. cue — a signal
  13. cue — for pool
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. track — to keep track
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. track — a song
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. rule — a law
  20. cue — a hint
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. spell — magic
  23. squash — to crush
  24. lean — to rest against

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