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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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. bound — obliged
  4. face — to confront
  5. face — part of the head
  6. pop — music
  7. bass — the fish
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. bound — certain
  10. toast — bread
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. deal — to handle
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. rule — government
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. bass — low music
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. face — to point toward
  21. pop — soda
  22. pop — to visit
  23. bound — tied together
  24. ruler — for measuring

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