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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. saw — the tool
  5. present — a gift
  6. saw — the tool
  7. face — part of the head
  8. wound — an injury
  9. face — to confront
  10. rule — a law
  11. rush — hurry
  12. present — the time now
  13. present — there
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. suit — to fit
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. face — to point toward
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. kick — in football
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. suit — clothes
  23. wound — an injury
  24. rule — government

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