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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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. rock — a stone
  5. rock — music
  6. cue — for pool
  7. saw — the tool
  8. rule — government
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. chip — to eat
  15. cue — a hint
  16. pass — a permit
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. chip — for betting
  21. cue — a signal
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. saw — the tool

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