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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. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. mark — a trace
  3. mark — a grade
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. rule — a law
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. net — for catching
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. bore — to tire
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. net — in sport
  14. rest — a break
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. net — after costs
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. rest — what's left
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. rest — what's left
  22. lie — to recline
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. bore — to drill

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