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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 lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  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. chest — a box
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. chest — of your body
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. rule — government
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. ball — a dance
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. tube — a container
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. lean — to bend
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. tube — the underground
  16. lean — thin
  17. snap — to click
  18. rule — a law
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. ball — a great time
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. chest — of your body
  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