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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: ruler · lash · pass · rest · march · rule · pop · fine

  1. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. march — music
  3. rule — a law
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. pop — to visit
  9. fine — all right
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. rest — a break
  13. march — the month
  14. pop — soda
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. pass — a permit
  17. rest — what's left
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. rest — what's left
  22. pop — music
  23. fine — high quality
  24. rule — government

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