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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 116 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. That was a fun ________________.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. ball — a dance
  4. ball — a great time
  5. rest — what's left
  6. mark — a trace
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. rule — government
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. rest — what's left
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. stem — to come from
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. game — wild animals
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. rest — a break
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. rule — a law
  24. mark — a grade

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