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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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. bat — the animal
  4. pop — soda
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. lie — to recline
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. pop — to visit
  9. rule — a law
  10. bulb — for light
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. suit — to fit
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. ground — crushed
  16. suit — clothes
  17. bulb — for light
  18. suit — in cards
  19. bat — in an idiom
  20. rush — hurry
  21. pop — music
  22. ground — a position
  23. ground — the earth
  24. lie — an untruth

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