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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. rule — government
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. fall — to drop
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. saw — the tool
  9. fall — to drop
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. kick — in football
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. rule — a law
  19. stand — to bear
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. rush — hurry
  22. fall — the season
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. kick — 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