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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. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. bulb — for light
  5. rule — a law
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. degree — an amount
  8. bulb — for light
  9. craft — boats
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. track — a song
  12. track — a path
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. degree — from a university
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. track — to keep track
  17. rule — government
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. bore — to drill
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. degree — temperature
  22. craft — a skill
  23. bore — to tire
  24. leaves — lets stay

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