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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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. toast — bread
  7. pop — to visit
  8. tube — the underground
  9. rule — government
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. scale — in music
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. rule — a law
  15. pop — soda
  16. face — to confront
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. tube — a container
  19. face — part of the head
  20. scale — size or range
  21. face — to point toward
  22. pop — music
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. scale — for weighing

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