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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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. rule — government
  4. charge — in control
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. pound — a weight
  12. charge — a price
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. rule — a law
  18. clip — to cut
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. charge — electricity
  21. clip — for paper
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. clip — a video

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