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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.

Make a worksheet

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. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. cue — a signal
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. wind — moving air
  6. mine — for digging
  7. rule — government
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. perch — the fish
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. wind — to turn a key
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. wind — moving air
  15. rule — a law
  16. cue — for pool
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. cue — a hint

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