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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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. board — a committee
  3. cap — of ice
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. staff — a stick
  7. mark — a grade
  8. mate — to breed
  9. rule — government
  10. board — to get on
  11. mate — a partner
  12. spring — a coil
  13. staff — employees
  14. staff — employees
  15. rule — a law
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. mate — a friend
  18. mark — a trace
  19. cap — a hat
  20. sharp — clever
  21. spring — the season
  22. spring — of water
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. cap — a lid

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