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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. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. kid — child
  4. rest — what's left
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. rest — what's left
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. rule — a law
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. kid — to tease
  13. rest — a break
  14. lie — to recline
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. bear — the animal
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. chair — a leader
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. bear — the animal
  22. rule — government
  23. wax — to grow
  24. kid — young goat (kid gloves)

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