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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. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  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 — a flat piece
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. board — a committee
  6. pop — music
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. scale — size or range
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. stock — goods
  13. lie — to recline
  14. pop — to visit
  15. board — to get on
  16. pop — soda
  17. plane — a tool
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. rule — a law
  20. stock — shares
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. scale — in music
  23. scale — for weighing
  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