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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. rule — a law
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. cue — a hint
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. cue — a signal
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. capital — money
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. pass — a permit
  16. capital — a city
  17. kick — in football
  18. capital — a big letter
  19. cue — for pool
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. wake — a trail
  24. pass — to succeed

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