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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. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. pop — to visit
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. shower — rain
  6. last — finally
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. can — a tin
  9. mug — a cup
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. pop — music
  12. can — to be able to
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. rule — a law
  15. mug — a face
  16. last — to go on
  17. mug — to rob
  18. can — a tin
  19. pop — soda
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. wake — a trail
  22. last — final
  23. shower — to wash
  24. rule — government

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