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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. bank — for money
  3. present — a gift
  4. bank — of a river
  5. face — to confront
  6. face — to point toward
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. face — part of the head
  11. fall — to drop
  12. bank — for money
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. charge — electricity
  16. present — the time now
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. fall — the season
  20. charge — a price
  21. rule — a law
  22. present — there
  23. charge — in control
  24. fall — to drop

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