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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: mark · march · ruler · rule · kick · mate · race · pitch

  1. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. race — humankind
  5. pitch — completely
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. race — a contest
  9. mark — a trace
  10. mark — a grade
  11. mate — a friend
  12. march — music
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. mate — to breed
  15. rule — a law
  16. kick — in football
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. rule — government
  19. race — the arms race
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. march — the month
  23. march — the month
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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