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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. suit — clothes
  3. track — to keep track
  4. track — a song
  5. suit — in cards
  6. rule — a law
  7. spring — the season
  8. mug — to rob
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. mug — a face
  11. last — final
  12. spring — a coil
  13. firm — decided
  14. mug — a cup
  15. board — a committee
  16. firm — a company
  17. board — to get on
  18. suit — to fit
  19. spring — of water
  20. last — finally
  21. last — to go on
  22. track — a path
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. firm — steady

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