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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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. march — the month
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. current — of water
  5. bound — tied together
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. march — the month
  8. can — to be able to
  9. spell — magic
  10. spell — a short time
  11. bound — obliged
  12. mark — a trace
  13. net — after costs
  14. current — happening now
  15. march — music
  16. mark — a grade
  17. spell — letters
  18. net — in sport
  19. net — for catching
  20. can — a tin
  21. rule — government
  22. bound — certain
  23. can — a tin
  24. current — electric

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