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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 120 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. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. row — to paddle
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. row — a line
  5. face — to point toward
  6. rule — a law
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. bear — the animal
  10. bear — the animal
  11. net — after costs
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. tube — the underground
  14. tube — a container
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. suit — in cards
  17. net — for catching
  18. suit — to fit
  19. face — to confront
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. face — part of the head
  22. suit — clothes
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. net — in sport

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