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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. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. fall — the season
  3. dip — to sink
  4. shower — rain
  5. board — to get on
  6. drill — army training
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. shower — to wash
  11. rule — government
  12. drill — the tool
  13. craft — a skill
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. ball — a dance
  16. drill — a practice
  17. ball — a great time
  18. board — a committee
  19. craft — boats
  20. rule — a law
  21. fall — to drop
  22. fall — to drop
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. dip — a sauce

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