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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. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. roll — a list
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. field — farmland
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. field — for sport
  11. rule — government
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. bore — to tire
  15. lean — to bend
  16. field — a subject
  17. bore — to drill
  18. charge — electricity
  19. lean — thin
  20. rule — a law
  21. charge — in control
  22. roll — a cake
  23. charge — a price
  24. ruler — for measuring

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