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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. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. cue — for pool
  3. shower — rain
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. cell — a phone
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. board — a committee
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. staff — employees
  11. staff — employees
  12. shower — to wash
  13. rule — government
  14. cell — in biology
  15. cue — a signal
  16. rule — a law
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. cue — a hint
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. staff — a stick
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. board — to get on
  24. temple — a place of worship

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