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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.

Make a worksheet

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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: march · object · kick · rule · mouse · fine

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. march — the month
  3. kick — in football
  4. fine — high quality
  5. rule — government
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. march — music
  8. object — a thing
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. march — the month
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. fine — all right
  14. rule — a law
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. object — to protest
  18. fine — a penalty

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