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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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. band — a music group
  3. rule — a law
  4. staff — a stick
  5. rule — government
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. staff — employees
  9. band — a ring
  10. wax — to grow
  11. rush — hurry
  12. staff — employees
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. lean — to bend
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. lean — thin
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. rush — a thrill

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