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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 116 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. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. deal — to handle
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. tube — a container
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. lie — to recline
  9. row — to paddle
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. rule — government
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. lean — thin
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. lean — to bend
  23. rule — a law
  24. row — a line

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