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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. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. stock — goods
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. kick — in football
  5. land — ground
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. rule — government
  8. rule — a law
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. board — to get on
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. board — a committee
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. press — newspapers
  16. land — to come down
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. stock — shares
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. press — to push
  23. press — a publisher
  24. kick — a thrill

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