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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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. club — for dancing
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. rule — government
  5. rest — what's left
  6. club — a group
  7. rule — a law
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. rest — what's left
  10. ball — a great time
  11. lean — to bend
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. rush — hurry
  15. court — of law
  16. rest — a break
  17. court — of a king
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. club — for golf
  20. court — for sport
  21. lean — thin
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. ball — a dance

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