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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. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. present — a gift
  3. chest — a box
  4. object — a thing
  5. bound — tied together
  6. land — a country
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. present — there
  9. chest — of your body
  10. bound — certain
  11. land — to come down
  12. chest — of your body
  13. rule — a law
  14. pit — in a race
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. pit — a hole
  18. land — ground
  19. present — the time now
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. rule — government
  22. object — an aim
  23. bound — obliged
  24. object — to protest

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