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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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. rule — a law
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. fine — high quality
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. rush — hurry
  14. rock — music
  15. rule — government
  16. rock — a stone
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. fine — all right
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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