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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. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. firm — decided
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. rule — a law
  8. roll — a cake
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. face — to confront
  12. firm — steady
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. firm — a company
  15. face — part of the head
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. band — a music group
  18. band — a ring
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. rule — government
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. roll — a list
  24. face — to point toward

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