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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 shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. rush — hurry
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. lie — to recline
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. rule — government
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. cap — of ice
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. fine — all right
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. roll — a list
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. rule — a law
  21. cap — a hat
  22. cap — a lid
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. roll — a cake

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