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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 116 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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. board — a committee
  4. land — a country
  5. bulb — for light
  6. snap — to click
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. rule — government
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. land — to come down
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. bulb — for light
  15. charge — electricity
  16. rule — a law
  17. charge — in control
  18. land — ground
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. board — to get on
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. charge — a price

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