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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 chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. band — a ring
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. sharp — clever
  5. mate — a friend
  6. firm — steady
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. firm — decided
  9. rule — government
  10. ground — a position
  11. mate — to breed
  12. bark — to shout
  13. ground — the earth
  14. mate — a partner
  15. suit — in cards
  16. band — a music group
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. firm — a company
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. ground — crushed
  22. suit — clothes
  23. rule — a law
  24. suit — to fit

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