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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. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. toast — bread
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. stock — shares
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. suit — to fit
  8. rock — music
  9. degree — an amount
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. spring — a coil
  12. spring — the season
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. suit — in cards
  16. spring — of water
  17. rock — a stone
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. degree — temperature
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. degree — from a university
  22. stock — goods
  23. rule — a law
  24. suit — clothes

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