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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. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. rule — a law
  5. roll — a cake
  6. cap — a hat
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. toast — bread
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. plane — a tool
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. rule — government
  14. pass — a permit
  15. cap — of ice
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. roll — a list
  23. cap — a lid
  24. perch — the fish

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