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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 people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. rule — government
  5. current — of water
  6. squash — to crush
  7. face — part of the head
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. face — to confront
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. current — electric
  13. squash — the sport
  14. chip — to eat
  15. face — to point toward
  16. bark — to shout
  17. fine — high quality
  18. rule — a law
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. chip — for betting
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. fine — all right
  23. current — happening now
  24. fine — a penalty

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