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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. board — a committee
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. mark — a trace
  6. court — for sport
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. drill — army training
  9. court — of a king
  10. drill — a practice
  11. drill — the tool
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. board — to get on
  14. cap — a lid
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. court — of law
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. cap — of ice
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. rule — a law
  21. cap — a hat
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. rule — government

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