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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. rule — a law
  3. shower — to wash
  4. shower — rain
  5. mate — a partner
  6. squash — to crush
  7. board — to get on
  8. suit — clothes
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. board — a committee
  11. mate — to breed
  12. suit — to fit
  13. rest — a break
  14. suit — in cards
  15. rest — what's left
  16. rest — what's left
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. squash — the sport
  21. mate — a friend
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. rule — government
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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