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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. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. deal — to handle
  3. ball — a great time
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. craft — a skill
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. board — a committee
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. rule — a law
  10. spell — a short time
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. firm — decided
  14. firm — a company
  15. ball — a dance
  16. craft — boats
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. firm — steady
  20. spell — magic
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. board — to get on
  24. spell — letters

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