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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. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. rule — government
  3. capital — money
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. drill — a practice
  6. bass — the fish
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. drill — army training
  9. club — a group
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. bass — low music
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. rule — a law
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. club — for dancing
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. fine — all right
  20. capital — a city
  21. fine — high quality
  22. club — for golf
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. lie — to recline

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