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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 120 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'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. key — the most important part
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. rule — government
  5. stock — shares
  6. board — to get on
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. board — a committee
  9. key — in music
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. key — for a lock
  12. stock — goods
  13. rule — a law
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. squash — to crush
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. plane — a tool
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. fan — a supporter

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