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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. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. rule — government
  3. clip — a video
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. club — for golf
  6. clip — to cut
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. squash — the sport
  10. club — for dancing
  11. clip — for paper
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. lean — to bend
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. pass — a permit
  19. club — a group
  20. toast — bread
  21. lean — thin
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. squash — to crush
  24. squash — the vegetable

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