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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. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  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. rule — government
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. mark — a grade
  4. bulb — for light
  5. pound — a weight
  6. bulb — for light
  7. tube — a container
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. key — for a lock
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. key — the most important part
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. board — a committee
  14. board — to get on
  15. tube — the underground
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. mark — a trace
  18. key — in music
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. wound — an injury
  22. wound — an injury
  23. rule — a law
  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