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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. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. fall — to drop
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. roll — a list
  5. rule — a law
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. current — of water
  8. current — happening now
  9. roll — a cake
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. current — electric
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. prune — to trim
  17. pitch — completely
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. prune — to trim
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. fall — to drop
  24. fall — the season

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