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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 120 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. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. object — to protest
  6. spell — magic
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. spell — a short time
  10. bulb — for light
  11. object — a thing
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. bulb — for light
  15. board — to get on
  16. object — an aim
  17. rule — a law
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. chair — a leader
  23. board — a committee
  24. rule — government

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