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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. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. bound — certain
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. bound — obliged
  6. bulb — for light
  7. board — to get on
  8. bound — tied together
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. bulb — for light
  12. rush — hurry
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. bass — the fish
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. drill — army training
  19. drill — the tool
  20. rule — a law
  21. drill — a practice
  22. board — a committee
  23. bass — low music
  24. temple — side of the head

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