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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. rest — a break
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. tube — a container
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. rule — a law
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. pit — in a race
  12. snap — to click
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. mark — a grade
  15. mark — a trace
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. rush — hurry
  20. tube — the underground
  21. rest — what's left
  22. rest — what's left
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. pit — a hole

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