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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. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  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. rule — government
  2. bore — to drill
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. can — a tin
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. shower — rain
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. wax — to grow
  9. can — to be able to
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. lie — to recline
  12. bore — to tire
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. rule — a law
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. can — a tin
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. rush — hurry
  22. shower — to wash
  23. lie — an untruth
  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