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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 120 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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. bear — the animal
  4. rule — government
  5. mate — a friend
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. charge — in control
  8. scale — size or range
  9. mate — a partner
  10. mate — to breed
  11. kick — in football
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. rule — a law
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. bass — low music
  17. bear — the animal
  18. scale — in music
  19. charge — electricity
  20. charge — a price
  21. bass — the fish
  22. suit — in cards
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. suit — clothes

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