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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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  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. pass — to spend time
  2. pass — a permit
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. bulb — for light
  5. deal — to handle
  6. object — a thing
  7. rule — a law
  8. pop — music
  9. pop — to visit
  10. object — an aim
  11. wind — moving air
  12. rule — government
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. object — to protest
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. pop — soda
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. bulb — for light
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. wind — moving air
  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