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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. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. march — the month
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. can — a tin
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. rule — a law
  8. can — to be able to
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. march — the month
  13. can — a tin
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. saw — the tool
  16. saw — the tool
  17. march — music
  18. present — the time now
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. present — there
  21. present — a gift
  22. toast — bread
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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