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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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. bore — to tire
  3. rule — a law
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. date — the fruit
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. object — to protest
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. object — an aim
  12. game — wild animals
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. object — a thing
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. bore — to drill
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. game — a match
  23. lie — to recline
  24. date — on the calendar

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