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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. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  18. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  19. The water is too ________________.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. rest — a break
  3. race — the arms race
  4. cue — a hint
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. rule — government
  7. cue — for pool
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. rest — what's left
  10. bore — to tire
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. race — a contest
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. cold — an illness
  18. cold — the Cold War
  19. cold — not warm
  20. rule — a law
  21. cue — a signal
  22. race — humankind
  23. rest — what's left
  24. bore — to drill

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