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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 chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. mate — a friend
  3. scale — size or range
  4. rule — government
  5. bulb — for light
  6. root — the cause
  7. club — for golf
  8. root — of a word
  9. club — for dancing
  10. scale — in music
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. rule — a law
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. shower — to wash
  18. club — a group
  19. mate — a partner
  20. shower — rain
  21. bulb — for light
  22. root — of a plant
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. mate — to breed

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