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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
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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: firm · land · present · ruler · pop · leaves · lean · rule

  1. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. pop — music
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. present — a gift
  5. firm — a company
  6. land — a country
  7. firm — decided
  8. firm — steady
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. rule — government
  15. pop — soda
  16. pop — to visit
  17. lean — thin
  18. land — ground
  19. rule — a law
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. lean — to bend
  22. present — the time now
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. land — to come down

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