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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. rule — government
  3. bound — obliged
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. spell — letters
  6. season — in sport
  7. bound — certain
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. rule — a law
  14. season — of the year
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. spell — magic
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. bound — tied together
  21. suit — clothes
  22. suit — in cards
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. spell — a short time

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