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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 teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. rule — government
  3. court — of law
  4. court — of a king
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. present — the time now
  7. roll — a cake
  8. mark — a grade
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. date — the fruit
  12. present — there
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. ball — a great time
  15. mark — a trace
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. present — a gift
  18. court — for sport
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. ball — a dance
  24. rule — a law

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