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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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. fall — the season
  3. rest — a break
  4. rule — government
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. fall — to drop
  7. rest — what's left
  8. current — of water
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. bulb — for light
  11. ball — a dance
  12. bulb — for light
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. rest — what's left
  15. current — electric
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. rule — a law
  20. current — happening now
  21. ball — a great time
  22. fall — to drop
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. rule — to rule out

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