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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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. rule — a law
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. bear — the animal
  7. bear — the animal
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. mate — a partner
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. plane — a tool
  13. mate — a friend
  14. lean — thin
  15. stock — goods
  16. stock — shares
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. deal — to handle
  20. lean — to bend
  21. rule — government
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. mate — to breed

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