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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. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. Have you settled on a ________________?
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. date — the fruit
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. drill — the tool
  6. ball — a great time
  7. fall — to drop
  8. drill — army training
  9. drill — a practice
  10. pound — a weight
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. rule — a law
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. fall — to drop
  18. ball — a dance
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. fall — the season
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. toast — bread

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