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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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. bulb — for light
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. file — a line of people
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. pop — soda
  8. suit — in cards
  9. rule — a law
  10. content — happy
  11. pop — to visit
  12. bulb — for light
  13. file — a tool
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. suit — to fit
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. content — the amount
  18. pop — music
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. suit — clothes
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. wax — to grow
  24. file — a document

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