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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. suit — to fit
  3. rule — a law
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. bear — the animal
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. last — to go on
  8. last — finally
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. bore — to drill
  11. bear — the animal
  12. rule — government
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. clip — for paper
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. clip — a video
  21. last — final
  22. bore — to tire
  23. clip — to cut
  24. suit — in cards

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