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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. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. track — to keep track
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. track — a song
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. rest — a break
  9. rest — what's left
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. rest — what's left
  12. track — a path
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. bore — to drill
  15. stand — to bear
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. rule — a law
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. bore — to tire
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. rule — to rule out

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