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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. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. root — of a word
  3. last — finally
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. rule — government
  6. rule — a law
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. bound — obliged
  9. row — a line
  10. charge — electricity
  11. root — the cause
  12. root — of a plant
  13. last — final
  14. charge — in control
  15. squash — to crush
  16. bound — tied together
  17. last — to go on
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. row — to paddle
  20. squash — the sport
  21. charge — a price
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. bound — certain
  24. squash — the vegetable

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