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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 captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. suit — in cards
  3. rush — hurry
  4. bank — for money
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. suit — clothes
  7. suit — to fit
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. bank — of a river
  10. mate — a partner
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. degree — temperature
  13. rule — a law
  14. bank — for money
  15. board — a committee
  16. content — happy
  17. mate — a friend
  18. degree — an amount
  19. degree — from a university
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. content — the amount
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. mate — to breed
  24. rule — government

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