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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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. last — final
  4. court — of law
  5. board — to get on
  6. bound — tied together
  7. rule — government
  8. court — for sport
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. last — finally
  11. cue — a hint
  12. bound — obliged
  13. bound — certain
  14. cue — a signal
  15. last — to go on
  16. tear — to rip
  17. board — a committee
  18. rule — a law
  19. tear — from crying
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. tear — from crying
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. court — of a king

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