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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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Word bank
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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: leaves · face · snap · racket · fine · rule · jam · suit

  1. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. face — to point toward
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. suit — clothes
  6. fine — all right
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. rule — a law
  13. fine — high quality
  14. face — part of the head
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. face — to confront
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. suit — in cards
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. suit — to fit
  23. snap — to click
  24. fine — a penalty

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