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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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. drill — army training
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. mug — a cup
  5. drill — a practice
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. drill — the tool
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. mug — a face
  10. band — a ring
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. band — a music group
  14. file — a tool
  15. file — a line of people
  16. rule — government
  17. rush — hurry
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. mug — to rob
  21. rule — a law
  22. file — a document
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. band — a rubber band

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