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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
468
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: fan · rush · date · cell · trunk · drill · rule · ruler

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. Have you settled on a ________________?
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. drill — a practice
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. rule — government
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. cell — a phone
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. cell — in biology
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. date — the fruit
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. drill — the tool
  20. drill — army training
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. rush — hurry
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. rule — a law

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