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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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. rule — government
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. board — to get on
  5. bear — the animal
  6. snap — to click
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. present — the time now
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. cue — a signal
  11. present — there
  12. rule — a law
  13. board — a committee
  14. cue — for pool
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. last — to go on
  17. last — final
  18. cue — a hint
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. bear — the animal
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. last — finally
  24. temple — side of the head

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