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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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. can — a tin
  3. cue — a signal
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. band — a music group
  6. cue — a hint
  7. key — the most important part
  8. can — a tin
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. plane — a tool
  11. cue — for pool
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. key — for a lock
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. rule — a law
  18. band — a ring
  19. can — to be able to
  20. key — in music
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. plane — in geometry

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