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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. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  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. wound — an injury
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. drill — a practice
  4. current — happening now
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. rule — government
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. current — electric
  13. face — to confront
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. wake — a trail
  16. drill — the tool
  17. drill — army training
  18. rule — a law
  19. current — of water
  20. face — to point toward
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. wound — an injury
  23. face — part of the head
  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