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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. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. craft — boats
  3. rule — a law
  4. wake — a trail
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. toast — bread
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. hand — in cards
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. hand — help
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. foot — a measure
  18. kick — in football
  19. rule — government
  20. craft — a skill
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. pass — a permit

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