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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. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. hand — in cards
  3. hand — help
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. firm — decided
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. scale — in music
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. scale — size or range
  12. firm — steady
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. rule — a law
  15. firm — a company
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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