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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. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. pass — a permit
  3. rule — government
  4. pop — music
  5. current — happening now
  6. bound — tied together
  7. pop — soda
  8. club — for dancing
  9. club — a group
  10. bound — certain
  11. rock — music
  12. club — for golf
  13. current — of water
  14. rock — a stone
  15. bound — obliged
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. date — the fruit
  19. current — electric
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. pop — to visit
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. rule — a law

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