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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. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. bark — to shout
  4. rule — government
  5. bulb — for light
  6. can — a tin
  7. can — a tin
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. rule — a law
  10. can — to be able to
  11. pop — to visit
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. pop — music
  16. shower — rain
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. shower — to wash
  22. wax — to grow
  23. pop — soda
  24. bulb — for light

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