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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 chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. race — the arms race
  3. firm — steady
  4. lie — to recline
  5. fall — to drop
  6. lean — thin
  7. lean — to bend
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. firm — decided
  10. mate — to breed
  11. rule — government
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. firm — a company
  15. race — a contest
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. fall — to drop
  18. race — humankind
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. mate — a friend
  21. rule — a law
  22. mate — a partner
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. fall — the season

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