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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. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. drill — the tool
  3. rule — a law
  4. land — a country
  5. spring — of water
  6. land — ground
  7. bound — certain
  8. drill — a practice
  9. suit — in cards
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. spring — a coil
  12. bound — tied together
  13. mug — a cup
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. drill — army training
  16. spring — the season
  17. mug — to rob
  18. mug — a face
  19. rule — government
  20. bound — obliged
  21. land — to come down
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. suit — clothes
  24. suit — to fit

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