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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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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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. rash — hasty
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. lie — to recline
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. rule — government
  9. club — a group
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. rash — a series
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. rule — a law
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. club — for dancing
  16. track — a path
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. stand — to bear
  22. track — to keep track
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. club — for golf

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