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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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. pass — a permit
  8. rule — government
  9. wake — a trail
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. pit — in a race
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. bark — to shout
  18. pit — a hole

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