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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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. mug — a face
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. rule — a law
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. ball — a dance
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. mug — a cup
  14. ball — a great time
  15. wax — to grow
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. rule — government
  20. pass — a permit
  21. mug — to rob
  22. bark — to shout
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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