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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 chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. mark — a grade
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. kick — in football
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. game — a match
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. can — to be able to
  12. can — a tin
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. can — a tin
  15. mark — a trace
  16. rule — a law
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. game — wild animals
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. vault — a safe
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. mine — for digging
  24. wake — a trail

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