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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. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. rule — government
  3. march — music
  4. suit — clothes
  5. spring — the season
  6. club — a group
  7. suit — to fit
  8. march — the month
  9. race — humankind
  10. scale — in music
  11. spring — of water
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. club — for golf
  14. race — a contest
  15. scale — size or range
  16. spring — a coil
  17. pit — a hole
  18. march — the month
  19. rule — a law
  20. race — the arms race
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. pit — in a race
  23. club — for dancing
  24. suit — in cards

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