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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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. saw — the tool
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. rule — government
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. fall — the season
  8. board — a committee
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. board — to get on
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. scale — in music
  15. saw — the tool
  16. scale — size or range
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. fall — to drop
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. fall — to drop
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. racket — a loud noise

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