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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. track — a path
  3. rest — a break
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. mine — for digging
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. rest — what's left
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. rule — government
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. track — a song
  12. track — to keep track
  13. rule — a law
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. rash — hasty
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. bulb — for light
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. rest — what's left
  22. rash — a series
  23. bulb — for light
  24. mouse — the animal

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