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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 120 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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. mark — a grade
  4. rock — music
  5. rock — a stone
  6. rule — government
  7. clip — for paper
  8. object — to protest
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. rule — a law
  13. drill — a practice
  14. drill — the tool
  15. wake — a trail
  16. mark — a trace
  17. clip — a video
  18. charge — a price
  19. clip — to cut
  20. charge — electricity
  21. object — an aim
  22. object — a thing
  23. charge — in control
  24. drill — army training

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