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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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. tube — a container
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. rule — government
  8. fall — to drop
  9. fall — the season
  10. last — finally
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. last — final
  14. fall — to drop
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. tube — the underground
  17. toast — bread
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. rule — a law
  22. rash — hasty
  23. rash — a series
  24. last — to go on

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