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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 124 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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. suit — in cards
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. tear — to rip
  6. rule — government
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. tear — from crying
  9. track — a path
  10. game — wild animals
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. sharp — clever
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. suit — to fit
  17. game — a match
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. suit — clothes
  20. tear — from crying
  21. track — to keep track
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. rule — a law
  24. track — a song

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