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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. board — a committee
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. board — to get on
  6. mark — a trace
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. land — a country
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. mark — a grade
  13. rule — a law
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. rule — government
  17. club — for dancing
  18. chair — a leader
  19. club — for golf
  20. land — ground
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. land — to come down
  24. toast — bread

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