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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. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  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. rule — to rule out
  2. mug — to rob
  3. rule — government
  4. fine — high quality
  5. mug — a cup
  6. bass — the fish
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. race — a contest
  12. sharp — clever
  13. band — a music group
  14. mug — a face
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. race — the arms race
  18. bass — low music
  19. band — a ring
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. race — humankind
  23. fine — all right
  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