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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. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. rule — government
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. rule — a law
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. staff — a stick
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. pop — music
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. staff — employees
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. staff — employees
  21. wake — a trail
  22. deal — to handle
  23. pop — soda
  24. pop — to visit

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