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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. The water is too ________________.
  22. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. firm — steady
  3. present — the time now
  4. suit — clothes
  5. race — the arms race
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. rule — a law
  8. rule — government
  9. board — a committee
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. board — to get on
  12. present — there
  13. suit — to fit
  14. firm — a company
  15. stem — to come from
  16. firm — decided
  17. race — humankind
  18. suit — in cards
  19. race — a contest
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. cold — not warm
  22. cold — an illness
  23. present — a gift
  24. cold — the Cold War

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