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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. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. band — a ring
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. perch — the fish
  6. pitch — completely
  7. bulb — for light
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. bank — of a river
  10. rule — a law
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. ball — a great time
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. bulb — for light
  19. bank — for money
  20. bank — for money
  21. ball — a dance
  22. band — a music group
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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