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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. bound — tied together
  3. march — the month
  4. rule — government
  5. march — music
  6. kid — to tease
  7. rock — a stone
  8. march — the month
  9. bound — obliged
  10. plane — a tool
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. suit — clothes
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. bound — certain
  15. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  16. rule — a law
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. suit — to fit
  20. rock — music
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. kid — child
  24. ruler — for measuring

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