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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. rule — government
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. mug — a face
  10. mate — a partner
  11. rule — a law
  12. mate — a friend
  13. ball — a great time
  14. pound — a weight
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. ball — a dance
  17. swing — in golf
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. mug — to rob
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. swing — to play on
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. swing — music
  24. mate — to breed

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