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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. Have you settled on a ________________?
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. rule — a law
  9. rule — government
  10. date — the fruit
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. court — for sport
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. fine — high quality
  15. court — of a king
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. court — of law
  19. fine — all right
  20. stand — to bear
  21. plane — a tool
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. rule — to rule out

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