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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. mug — a cup
  3. wound — an injury
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. toast — bread
  6. rule — government
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. rule — a law
  9. pound — a weight
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. mug — a face
  12. mug — to rob
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. game — a match
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. stand — to bear
  20. wound — an injury
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. game — wild animals
  23. wax — to grow
  24. stand — for spectators

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