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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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. rest — what's left
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. hand — help
  6. rest — a break
  7. hand — in cards
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. wake — a trail
  10. suit — clothes
  11. rest — what's left
  12. rule — a law
  13. suit — in cards
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. staff — employees
  17. staff — a stick
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. rule — government
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. staff — employees
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. suit — to fit

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