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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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. bulb — for light
  4. degree — an amount
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. tube — the underground
  7. pass — a permit
  8. rock — music
  9. mate — a partner
  10. rule — government
  11. mate — to breed
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. degree — temperature
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. bulb — for light
  16. degree — from a university
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. rock — a stone
  19. tube — a container
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. mate — a friend
  24. rule — a law

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