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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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. rule — a law
  3. track — a path
  4. track — a song
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. object — an aim
  7. mate — a partner
  8. rule — government
  9. plane — a tool
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. bore — to tire
  12. mate — to breed
  13. roll — a cake
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. object — to protest
  16. mate — a friend
  17. object — a thing
  18. roll — a list
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. track — to keep track
  23. bore — to drill
  24. plane — in geometry

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