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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. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. pit — a hole
  4. rash — hasty
  5. rule — government
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. march — music
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. deal — to handle
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. march — the month
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. rash — a series
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. rule — a law
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. lean — thin
  22. lean — to bend
  23. snap — to click
  24. pit — in a race

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