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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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. mug — a face
  6. bank — of a river
  7. charge — electricity
  8. rule — a law
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. ball — a dance
  11. tube — the underground
  12. row — a line
  13. mug — a cup
  14. charge — in control
  15. ball — a great time
  16. bank — for money
  17. rule — government
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. bank — for money
  20. tube — a container
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. charge — a price
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. row — to paddle

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