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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. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. firm — steady
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. ball — a dance
  6. kid — child
  7. firm — a company
  8. can — to be able to
  9. can — a tin
  10. kid — to tease
  11. ball — a great time
  12. can — a tin
  13. firm — decided
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. mark — a trace
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. rule — a law
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. mark — a grade
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. ruler — for measuring

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