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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 120 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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. mug — a cup
  3. kid — to tease
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. deal — to handle
  6. face — part of the head
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. kid — child
  13. bass — the fish
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. rule — a law
  16. face — to point toward
  17. mug — a face
  18. face — to confront
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  21. bass — low music
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. mug — to rob

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