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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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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: rule · game · tear · season · ruler · mark · band · nail

  1. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. mark — a trace
  3. mark — a grade
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. game — wild animals
  6. band — a ring
  7. band — a music group
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. tear — to rip
  12. season — in sport
  13. tear — from crying
  14. game — a match
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. rule — government
  22. tear — from crying
  23. rule — a law
  24. season — of the year

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