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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 chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. rule — a law
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. last — finally
  8. ball — a dance
  9. pass — a permit
  10. last — to go on
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. swing — in golf
  14. vault — a safe
  15. last — final
  16. rule — government
  17. ball — a great time
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. swing — music
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. swing — to play on
  24. ruler — a monarch

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