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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. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. spring — a coil
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. spring — of water
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. bear — the animal
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. spring — the season
  9. rule — a law
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. drill — a practice
  12. drill — army training
  13. rule — government
  14. craft — boats
  15. track — a path
  16. bear — the animal
  17. track — to keep track
  18. drill — the tool
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. craft — a skill
  23. sharp — clever
  24. track — a song

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