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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. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. shower — to wash
  3. rule — a law
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. suit — clothes
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. key — for a lock
  10. wake — a trail
  11. suit — in cards
  12. bass — low music
  13. key — in music
  14. suit — to fit
  15. shower — rain
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. key — the most important part
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. bass — the fish
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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