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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. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. bore — to tire
  5. game — a match
  6. rule — a law
  7. game — wild animals
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. bulb — for light
  10. bulb — for light
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. scale — in music
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. scale — size or range
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. content — the amount
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. bore — to drill
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. content — happy

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