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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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. lie — to recline
  4. scale — in music
  5. scale — size or range
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. rule — government
  9. cell — a phone
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. pit — a hole
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. pit — in a race
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. cell — in biology
  19. perch — the fish
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. rush — hurry
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. rule — a law

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