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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. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. bear — the animal
  3. rule — a law
  4. bat — the animal
  5. cue — for pool
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. cue — a hint
  10. band — a ring
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. bat — in an idiom
  14. firm — steady
  15. bear — the animal
  16. band — a music group
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. firm — a company
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. cue — a signal
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. firm — decided

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