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

Word bank: stand · racket · fall · ruler · rule · rock

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. rule — government
  5. rock — a stone
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. fall — to drop
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. fall — to drop
  12. fall — the season
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. rule — a law
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. stand — to bear
  18. rock — music

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