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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. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. game — a match
  5. kick — in football
  6. rule — a law
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. rule — government
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. stand — to bear
  16. game — wild animals
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. rule — to rule out

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