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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. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. track — to keep track
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. cap — a hat
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. rule — government
  9. cap — a lid
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. cap — of ice
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. track — a path
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. track — a song
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. wax — to grow
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. rule — a law

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