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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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. lean — to bend
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. rush — hurry
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. season — in sport
  9. lean — thin
  10. charge — a price
  11. court — of law
  12. fork — in a road
  13. charge — electricity
  14. court — for sport
  15. charge — in control
  16. rule — government
  17. court — of a king
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. season — of the year
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. rule — a law
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. season — to add flavour

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