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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. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. can — a tin
  3. rule — a law
  4. can — to be able to
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. bass — the fish
  11. sharp — clever
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. bore — to tire
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. can — a tin
  17. pitch — completely
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. deal — to handle
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. bore — to drill
  23. bass — low music
  24. deal — a big deal

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