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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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. saw — the tool
  3. present — there
  4. drill — army training
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. present — the time now
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. rule — government
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. drill — the tool
  11. ball — a great time
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. saw — the tool
  14. tube — a container
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. tube — the underground
  17. kick — in football
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. present — a gift
  20. drill — a practice
  21. ball — a dance
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. kick — with a leg

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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