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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 · fall · fine · roll · ruler · cold · plane · charge

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  8. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  9. The water is too ________________.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. plane — a tool
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. rule — government
  6. roll — a list
  7. cold — an illness
  8. cold — the Cold War
  9. cold — not warm
  10. fall — to drop
  11. fine — all right
  12. fall — to drop
  13. rule — a law
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. charge — in control
  18. roll — a cake
  19. fine — high quality
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. charge — electricity
  22. fall — the season
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. charge — a price

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