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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. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. bank — for money
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. rule — a law
  6. fine — all right
  7. bank — for money
  8. object — an aim
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. root — of a word
  11. root — of a plant
  12. bank — of a river
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. wax — to grow
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. root — the cause
  17. bore — to drill
  18. object — a thing
  19. fine — high quality
  20. object — to protest
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. bore — to tire
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. rule — to rule out

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