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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 chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. firm — steady
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. field — farmland
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. field — a subject
  8. ball — a dance
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. bear — the animal
  11. rule — government
  12. ball — a great time
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. firm — a company
  15. rule — a law
  16. firm — decided
  17. capital — money
  18. capital — a big letter
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. bear — the animal
  21. plane — a tool
  22. field — for sport
  23. capital — a city
  24. plane — in geometry

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