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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 dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. rule — a law
  4. tube — the underground
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. shower — rain
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. sharp — clever
  17. pound — a weight
  18. shower — to wash
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. tube — a container

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