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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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. sharp — clever
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. rule — a law
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. mark — a trace
  7. net — for catching
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. mine — for digging
  10. mark — a grade
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. rule — government
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. net — in sport
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. vault — a safe
  19. net — after costs
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. mark — to pay attention

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