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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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. present — a gift
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. rule — a law
  6. band — a ring
  7. content — the amount
  8. cue — a signal
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. present — the time now
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. present — there
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. cue — a hint
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. band — a music group
  20. content — happy
  21. cue — for pool
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. rule — government

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