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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. When are we going to ________________?
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. mate — a friend
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. chest — of your body
  7. pass — a permit
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. land — ground
  11. rule — a law
  12. chest — of your body
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. mate — to breed
  16. chest — a box
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. lie — to recline
  21. land — a country
  22. mate — a partner
  23. rule — government
  24. pass — to spend 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