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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. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. degree — an amount
  3. suit — in cards
  4. degree — temperature
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. suit — clothes
  9. suit — to fit
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. degree — from a university
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. wake — a trail
  14. rock — a stone
  15. rock — music
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. board — a committee
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. board — to get on
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. rule — a law
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. hide — to keep secret

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