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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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. track — a path
  6. rule — a law
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. rule — government
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. track — to keep track
  11. bark — to shout
  12. track — a song
  13. tube — a container
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. kick — in football
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. tube — the underground
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. leaves — lets stay

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