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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 120 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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. suit — to fit
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. file — a line of people
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. suit — in cards
  7. cue — a signal
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. file — a tool
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. saw — the tool
  12. file — a document
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. cue — for pool
  15. rule — a law
  16. suit — clothes
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. cue — a hint
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. saw — the tool
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. bowl — to roll

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