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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 124 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 captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. drill — army training
  3. net — after costs
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. net — for catching
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. mug — a cup
  9. board — a committee
  10. object — an aim
  11. drill — the tool
  12. net — in sport
  13. rule — a law
  14. rule — government
  15. band — a ring
  16. mug — to rob
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. object — to protest
  19. object — a thing
  20. drill — a practice
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. band — a music group
  23. mug — a face
  24. calf — a young animal

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