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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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. roll — a list
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. roll — a cake
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. rash — a series
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. rule — a law
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. sharp — clever
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. plane — a tool
  21. rash — hasty
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. rule — government
  24. leaves — lets stay

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