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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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. rule — a law
  3. ball — a great time
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. board — to get on
  6. pop — soda
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. snap — to click
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. rule — government
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. lie — to recline
  15. sharp — clever
  16. pop — to visit
  17. ball — a dance
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. board — a committee
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. pop — music
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. board — a flat piece

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