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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. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. rule — a law
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. pop — to visit
  6. net — in sport
  7. object — an aim
  8. pop — music
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. pop — soda
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. object — a thing
  13. rule — government
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. board — to get on
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. net — for catching
  22. net — after costs
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. object — to protest

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