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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 116 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. There's no middle ________________.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. suit — in cards
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. last — finally
  5. rule — government
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. suit — to fit
  8. suit — clothes
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. present — the time now
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. last — final
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. present — there
  17. ground — crushed
  18. present — a gift
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. ground — the earth
  21. rule — a law
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. last — to go on
  24. safe — a strongbox

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