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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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. cap — a lid
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. rule — a law
  7. wax — to grow
  8. charge — electricity
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. season — in sport
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. rest — what's left
  14. cap — a hat
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. season — of the year
  17. charge — a price
  18. rest — what's left
  19. rule — government
  20. charge — in control
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. cap — of ice
  23. rest — a break
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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