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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 116 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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. can — a tin
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. can — to be able to
  6. rule — a law
  7. march — music
  8. degree — from a university
  9. ball — a dance
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. degree — an amount
  12. march — the month
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. degree — temperature
  16. stem — to come from
  17. ball — a great time
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. can — a tin
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. march — the month
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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