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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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. face — to point toward
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. rash — a series
  8. rule — a law
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. stand — to bear
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. rash — hasty
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. scale — in music
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. scale — size or range
  19. face — part of the head
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. face — to confront
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. rash — on the skin

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