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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: suit · cold · rule · ruler · firm · branch

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  6. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. The water is too ________________.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. suit — to fit
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. cold — the Cold War
  6. cold — an illness
  7. suit — clothes
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. rule — a law
  11. firm — decided
  12. suit — in cards
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. rule — government
  15. firm — a company
  16. cold — not warm
  17. firm — steady
  18. branch — a division

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