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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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. capital — money
  3. tube — a container
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. present — the time now
  8. present — there
  9. tube — the underground
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. rule — government
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. present — a gift
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. capital — a city
  23. lie — to recline
  24. capital — a big letter

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