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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 strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. lie — to recline
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. fork — in a road
  9. board — a committee
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. rule — government
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. rush — hurry
  15. fall — to drop
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. board — to get on
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. wind — moving air
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. rule — a law
  22. fall — the season
  23. fall — to drop
  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