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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. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. deal — to handle
  8. saw — the tool
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. rule — government
  13. saw — the tool
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. rule — a law
  16. tube — the underground
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. ball — a great time
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. tube — a container
  24. rule — to rule out

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