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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 chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. mug — a cup
  4. mug — to rob
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. club — for golf
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. prune — to trim
  9. last — final
  10. last — finally
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. club — for dancing
  13. last — to go on
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. rule — a law
  16. club — a group
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. fork — in a road
  19. mug — a face
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. rule — government
  22. prune — to trim
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. wax — to grow

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