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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 116 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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. can — a tin
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. present — the time now
  6. rule — government
  7. rush — hurry
  8. tube — the underground
  9. present — a gift
  10. can — a tin
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. can — to be able to
  13. lean — to bend
  14. cue — a signal
  15. present — there
  16. rule — a law
  17. stock — shares
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. cue — a hint
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. stock — goods
  23. cue — for pool
  24. tube — a container

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