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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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. drill — a practice
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. drill — army training
  7. charge — electricity
  8. wax — to grow
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. charge — in control
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. rule — a law
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. drill — the tool
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. pass — a permit
  21. charge — a price
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. date — the fruit

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