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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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. firm — a company
  3. saw — the tool
  4. rule — government
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. firm — decided
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. bulb — for light
  10. court — for sport
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. firm — steady
  14. bulb — for light
  15. bore — to tire
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. band — a music group
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. band — a ring
  21. court — of law
  22. court — of a king
  23. bore — to drill
  24. saw — the tool

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