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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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. cap — of ice
  5. mate — a partner
  6. cap — a lid
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. cap — a hat
  9. mark — a grade
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. court — for sport
  13. rule — government
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. mate — a friend
  16. court — of a king
  17. mate — to breed
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. court — of law
  24. mark — a trace

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