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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. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  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. rule — government
  2. march — the month
  3. march — the month
  4. lean — to bend
  5. rule — a law
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. court — for sport
  8. court — of law
  9. press — newspapers
  10. press — to push
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. stand — to bear
  13. march — music
  14. court — of a king
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. lean — thin
  20. pass — a permit
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. press — a publisher
  23. lean — to rest against
  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