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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 cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. rule — a law
  4. lean — to bend
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. net — in sport
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. fall — the season
  10. fall — to drop
  11. suit — to fit
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. lean — thin
  14. fall — to drop
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. perch — the fish
  19. rule — government
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. net — after costs
  22. suit — in cards
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. net — for catching

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