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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. The water is too ________________.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. suit — clothes
  4. cell — in biology
  5. suit — to fit
  6. cold — the Cold War
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. rule — government
  9. cell — a phone
  10. drill — a practice
  11. rule — a law
  12. drill — the tool
  13. lean — thin
  14. drill — army training
  15. cold — not warm
  16. suit — in cards
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. can — a tin
  20. cold — an illness
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. can — a tin
  23. lean — to bend
  24. deal — to handle

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