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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. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. rule — a law
  4. shower — rain
  5. mug — a face
  6. can — a tin
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. bass — the fish
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. roll — a cake
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. can — a tin
  14. plane — a tool
  15. shower — to wash
  16. roll — a list
  17. capital — money
  18. bass — low music
  19. mug — to rob
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. mug — a cup
  23. can — to be able to
  24. capital — a city

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