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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. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. firm — steady
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. scale — size or range
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. spell — magic
  8. band — a music group
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. rule — a law
  11. suit — clothes
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. scale — in music
  16. band — a ring
  17. suit — to fit
  18. firm — decided
  19. firm — a company
  20. suit — in cards
  21. spell — a short time
  22. spell — letters
  23. wax — to grow
  24. wax — in the ear

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