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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 120 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 train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. rule — a law
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. pit — in a race
  7. pit — a hole
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. key — the most important part
  10. rest — what's left
  11. key — for a lock
  12. track — to keep track
  13. cue — for pool
  14. wake — a trail
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. key — in music
  17. cue — a hint
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. track — a path
  20. rest — a break
  21. cue — a signal
  22. track — a song
  23. rest — what's left
  24. rule — government

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