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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.

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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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. mark — a trace
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. game — a match
  7. bore — to tire
  8. game — wild animals
  9. fall — the season
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. mark — a grade
  12. fall — to drop
  13. rule — a law
  14. tear — from crying
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. pass — a permit
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. tear — to rip
  21. tear — from crying
  22. fall — to drop
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. bore — to drill

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