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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 124 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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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: pass · rule · lie · cabinet · mark · current · saw · bat

  1. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. saw — the tool
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. current — electric
  7. bat — the animal
  8. saw — the tool
  9. mark — a trace
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. rule — government
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. current — happening now
  15. rule — a law
  16. pass — a permit
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. current — of water
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. mark — a grade
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. lie — to recline

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