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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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. mate — a partner
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. rule — a law
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. degree — an amount
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. game — wild animals
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. rock — a stone
  12. degree — temperature
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. degree — from a university
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. rock — music
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. pitch — completely
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. rule — government
  21. mate — a friend
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. game — a match
  24. lie — to recline

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