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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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. rule — government
  3. mark — a grade
  4. bulb — for light
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. march — the month
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. march — the month
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. rule — a law
  11. bulb — for light
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. march — music
  16. foot — a measure
  17. rush — hurry
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. mark — a trace
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. foot — part of the body

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