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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. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. content — the amount
  3. bear — the animal
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. staff — employees
  8. chip — for betting
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. bear — the animal
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. spell — a short time
  14. chip — to eat
  15. staff — employees
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. rule — a law
  19. spell — letters
  20. staff — a stick
  21. spell — magic
  22. content — happy
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. leaves — lets stay

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