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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. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. bound — tied together
  3. drill — army training
  4. bound — certain
  5. drill — the tool
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. bass — low music
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. drill — a practice
  11. shower — to wash
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. bound — obliged
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. rule — a law
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. current — of water
  19. bass — the fish
  20. shower — rain
  21. current — happening now
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. current — electric
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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