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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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  14. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. rule — a law
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. lean — thin
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. rule — government
  7. capital — a city
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. club — for golf
  10. lean — to bend
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. pass — a permit
  13. capital — money
  14. capital — a big letter
  15. fine — high quality
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. wake — a trail
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. club — a group
  21. club — for dancing
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. fine — all right

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