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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 116 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. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. can — to be able to
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. rule — a law
  5. rule — government
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. suit — to fit
  8. ball — a great time
  9. suit — in cards
  10. suit — clothes
  11. can — a tin
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. march — the month
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. can — a tin
  18. wind — moving air
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. deal — to handle
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. ball — a dance
  23. march — music
  24. march — the month

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