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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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. rule — government
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. pound — a weight
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. kick — in football
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. saw — the tool
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. pass — a permit
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. bulb — for light
  16. bear — the animal
  17. scale — size or range
  18. bulb — for light
  19. scale — in music
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. bear — the animal
  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