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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. cap — of ice
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. rush — hurry
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. rash — a series
  13. lean — thin
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. lean — to bend
  16. pitch — completely
  17. cap — a hat
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. rule — government
  20. cap — a lid
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. rash — hasty
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. rule — a law

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