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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. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. staff — employees
  3. face — to confront
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. staff — a stick
  7. rule — a law
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. current — of water
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. current — electric
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. face — to point toward
  18. current — happening now
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. face — part of the head
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. staff — employees

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