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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. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. present — there
  3. rest — what's left
  4. ball — a dance
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. ball — a great time
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. present — the time now
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. rest — what's left
  12. dip — to sink
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. rest — a break
  17. rule — a law
  18. present — a gift
  19. rush — hurry
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. trunk — of a car

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