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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 chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. staff — employees
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. staff — a stick
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. rule — government
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. capital — money
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. capital — a city
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. deal — to handle
  20. capital — a big letter
  21. rush — hurry
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. rule — a law
  24. staff — employees

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