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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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. march — music
  3. can — a tin
  4. can — a tin
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. rule — government
  7. can — to be able to
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. rush — hurry
  11. rest — what's left
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. march — the month
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. chip — to eat
  17. rest — what's left
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. chip — for betting
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. kick — in football
  22. rest — a break
  23. march — the month
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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