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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: rule · bear · nail · present · rest · leaves · bay · club

  1. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. rest — what's left
  4. rule — government
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. rest — what's left
  8. bear — the animal
  9. present — a gift
  10. club — for dancing
  11. rest — a break
  12. club — for golf
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. present — there
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. bear — the animal
  19. rule — a law
  20. present — the time now
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. nail — for a hammer

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