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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  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. deal — an agreement
  2. mug — a cup
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. drill — a practice
  5. drill — army training
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. rule — a law
  9. bat — the animal
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. mug — to rob
  14. deal — to handle
  15. drill — the tool
  16. mug — a face
  17. wax — to grow
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. pass — a permit
  22. bat — for baseball
  23. wax — for sculpting
  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