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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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: object · pitch · rush · march · ruler · rule

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. pitch — completely
  3. object — to protest
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. march — the month
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. rule — government
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. object — a thing
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. march — the month
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. march — music
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. rule — a law
  17. rush — hurry
  18. 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