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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. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. rule — government
  4. court — of a king
  5. toast — bread
  6. court — of law
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. wax — to grow
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. rush — hurry
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. club — for dancing
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. club — a group
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. court — for sport
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. rule — a law
  20. roll — a cake
  21. club — for golf
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. rule — to rule out

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