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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 120 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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. content — happy
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. wake — a trail
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. pass — a permit
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. scale — size or range
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. content — the amount
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. scale — in music
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. rule — a law
  24. temple — a place of worship

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