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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 120 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 ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. The water is too ________________.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. bulb — for light
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. cold — an illness
  8. rule — government
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. rule — a law
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. game — wild animals
  15. bulb — for light
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. cold — the Cold War
  20. fine — all right
  21. cold — not warm
  22. game — a match
  23. fine — high quality
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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