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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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. fall — the season
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. club — for golf
  9. club — for dancing
  10. rule — a law
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. mate — a friend
  14. mate — a partner
  15. wax — to grow
  16. fall — to drop
  17. mate — to breed
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. rule — government
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. club — a group
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. fall — to drop

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