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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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. object — an aim
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. fine — all right
  5. mark — a grade
  6. last — finally
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. rock — music
  9. tear — from crying
  10. mark — a trace
  11. object — a thing
  12. fine — high quality
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. rock — a stone
  17. last — final
  18. last — to go on
  19. tear — from crying
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. tear — to rip
  23. rule — a law
  24. rule — government

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