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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. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. bulb — for light
  6. bulb — for light
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. rule — a law
  11. rule — government
  12. march — the month
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. march — the month
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. fork — in a road
  24. march — music

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