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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. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. game — wild animals
  4. firm — decided
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. rule — government
  7. game — a match
  8. bound — obliged
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. wake — a trail
  11. rule — a law
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. file — a tool
  14. bound — tied together
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. file — a line of people
  17. bound — certain
  18. file — a document
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. firm — a company
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. ruler — a monarch

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