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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. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. land — ground
  4. march — the month
  5. rush — hurry
  6. deal — to handle
  7. board — a committee
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. squash — the sport
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. land — a country
  12. march — music
  13. board — to get on
  14. rule — government
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. land — to come down
  17. rule — a law
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. squash — to crush
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. rule — to rule out

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