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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. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. bound — obliged
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. bound — tied together
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. perch — the fish
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. bound — certain
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. pound — a weight
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. tube — the underground
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. tube — a container
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. rule — a law

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