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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. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. last — finally
  7. foot — a measure
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. rule — a law
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. fall — to drop
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. fall — to drop
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. fall — the season
  19. last — to go on
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. last — final

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