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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. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. mark — a trace
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. bulb — for light
  5. saw — the tool
  6. cap — a hat
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. rule — a law
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. bulb — for light
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. cap — of ice
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. saw — the tool
  16. mine — for digging
  17. cap — a lid
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. mark — a grade
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. vault — a safe
  24. coach — a trainer

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