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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 120 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. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. march — the month
  3. track — a path
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. deal — to handle
  6. march — the month
  7. pit — a hole
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. track — to keep track
  11. pit — in a race
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. bulb — for light
  14. squash — to crush
  15. track — a song
  16. chair — a leader
  17. rule — government
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. squash — the sport
  20. bulb — for light
  21. rule — a law
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. march — music
  24. deal — an agreement

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