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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. swing — in golf
  4. wound — an injury
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. track — to keep track
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. rule — government
  10. swing — music
  11. toast — bread
  12. track — a path
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. swing — to play on
  16. wound — an injury
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. track — a song
  24. chair — a leader

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