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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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. court — of law
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. suit — to fit
  6. suit — clothes
  7. club — a group
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. club — for dancing
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. stem — to come from
  13. wake — a trail
  14. club — for golf
  15. court — for sport
  16. suit — in cards
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. bear — the animal
  20. court — of a king
  21. pass — a permit
  22. bear — the animal
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. rule — government

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