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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. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. mate — a partner
  4. bore — to tire
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. mate — a friend
  8. rule — a law
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. mate — to breed
  14. can — a tin
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. lie — to recline
  18. pitch — completely
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. can — a tin
  22. can — to be able to
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. bore — to drill

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