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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. mark — a trace
  5. degree — an amount
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. lie — to recline
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. rule — government
  11. mark — a grade
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. rule — a law
  18. degree — temperature
  19. lean — to bend
  20. lean — thin
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. degree — from a university
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. lean — to rest against

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