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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. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. object — a thing
  3. mate — a partner
  4. board — a committee
  5. board — to get on
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. rule — government
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. squash — the sport
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. current — electric
  12. squash — to crush
  13. current — of water
  14. mate — to breed
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. object — to protest
  17. rush — hurry
  18. rule — a law
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. current — happening now
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. object — an aim
  24. squash — the vegetable

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