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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. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. pass — a permit
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. bank — for money
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. staff — a stick
  11. bank — for money
  12. court — for sport
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. staff — employees
  16. court — of law
  17. wake — a trail
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. rule — a law
  20. staff — employees
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. court — of a king
  23. bank — of a river
  24. pass — to spend time

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