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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 116 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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. fall — to drop
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. file — a line of people
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. rash — a series
  8. file — a document
  9. board — a committee
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. rash — hasty
  12. craft — a skill
  13. firm — steady
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. board — to get on
  16. firm — decided
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. craft — boats
  19. fall — to drop
  20. rule — a law
  21. file — a tool
  22. rule — government
  23. fall — the season
  24. firm — a company

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