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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 116 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. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. row — to paddle
  3. charge — electricity
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. rule — government
  7. drill — a practice
  8. row — a line
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. game — wild animals
  11. charge — in control
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. drill — the tool
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. game — a match
  19. squash — the sport
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. rule — a law
  22. charge — a price
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. drill — army training

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