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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 120 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 train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. rock — music
  4. clip — a video
  5. march — music
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. rule — a law
  9. stand — to bear
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. clip — for paper
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. march — the month
  15. key — in music
  16. key — the most important part
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. fork — in a road
  19. rule — government
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. key — for a lock
  22. clip — to cut
  23. march — the month
  24. rock — a stone

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