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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. pit — a hole
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. wax — to grow
  6. rock — a stone
  7. field — farmland
  8. field — a subject
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. rule — a law
  11. rock — music
  12. clip — a video
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. clip — to cut
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. field — for sport
  17. pit — in a race
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. clip — for paper
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. wax — in the ear

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