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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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. bound — obliged
  3. degree — an amount
  4. rule — government
  5. degree — from a university
  6. track — a song
  7. stand — to bear
  8. bound — certain
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. track — a path
  11. track — to keep track
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. bound — tied together
  14. fine — all right
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. degree — temperature
  17. rule — a law
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. fine — high quality
  23. rush — hurry
  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