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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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. fall — to drop
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. ground — a position
  8. rule — a law
  9. rule — government
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. bank — for money
  12. firm — decided
  13. bank — of a river
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. ground — crushed
  16. fall — to drop
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. ground — the earth
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. firm — steady
  22. firm — a company
  23. bank — for money
  24. ruler — a monarch

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