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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: rock · bear · ruler · rule · wave · lean

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  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. ruler — a monarch
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. rock — music
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. lean — to bend
  10. bear — the animal
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. rule — government
  14. lean — thin
  15. bear — the animal
  16. rock — a stone
  17. ruler — for measuring
  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