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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  24. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. rule — government
  3. rest — what's left
  4. ball — a great time
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. toast — bread
  9. pass — a permit
  10. ball — a dance
  11. kid — to tease
  12. rest — what's left
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. rest — a break
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. rush — hurry
  22. kick — in football
  23. kid — child
  24. kid — young goat (kid gloves)

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