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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 116 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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. mate — to breed
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. mate — a partner
  15. rule — government
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. cap — a hat
  20. mate — a friend
  21. cap — of ice
  22. cap — a lid
  23. deal — to handle
  24. stem — to come from

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