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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. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. rock — music
  3. rule — a law
  4. bear — the animal
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. rush — hurry
  7. content — happy
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. rock — a stone
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. content — the amount
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. stem — to come from
  18. board — to get on
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. board — a committee
  21. bear — the animal
  22. toast — bread
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. rush — a thrill

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