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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 116 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. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. tube — a container
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. board — a committee
  6. suit — clothes
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. rule — a law
  10. pit — a hole
  11. tube — the underground
  12. suit — in cards
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. pit — in a race
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. board — to get on
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. pass — a permit
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. suit — to fit
  23. bat — the animal
  24. tube — in a tire

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