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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: last · rule · object · wind · bowl · ruler

  1. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. wind — moving air
  9. object — an aim
  10. last — to go on
  11. last — finally
  12. rule — government
  13. wind — moving air
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. object — to protest
  16. last — final
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. rule — a law

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