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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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. tear — to rip
  3. rule — a law
  4. band — a ring
  5. rule — government
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. tear — from crying
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. row — to paddle
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. row — a line
  12. charge — a price
  13. charge — in control
  14. band — a music group
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. vault — a safe
  17. tear — from crying
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. ball — a dance
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. charge — electricity
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. ball — a great time

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