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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 116 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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. last — finally
  4. rest — what's left
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. last — to go on
  7. rest — what's left
  8. pass — a permit
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. rash — hasty
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. suit — clothes
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. suit — in cards
  19. rest — a break
  20. last — final
  21. rule — a law
  22. rash — a series
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. rule — government

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