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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. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. cap — of ice
  5. lie — to recline
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. rule — a law
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. content — the amount
  11. cap — a hat
  12. plane — a tool
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. content — happy
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. cap — a lid
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. rock — a stone
  20. rule — government
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. rock — music
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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