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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. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. spring — a coil
  4. key — in music
  5. season — in sport
  6. vault — a safe
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. bore — to drill
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. bore — to tire
  11. key — the most important part
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. spring — of water
  16. key — for a lock
  17. season — of the year
  18. rule — a law
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. bulb — for light
  22. bulb — for light
  23. spring — the season
  24. bulb — of a plant

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