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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. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. clip — for paper
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. clip — to cut
  6. object — a thing
  7. object — to protest
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. clip — a video
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. stem — to come from
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. sharp — clever
  16. stand — to bear
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. rule — government
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. object — an aim
  24. rule — a law

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