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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 124 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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. press — to push
  6. rule — a law
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. press — newspapers
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. board — a committee
  11. row — to paddle
  12. net — after costs
  13. row — a line
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. rash — hasty
  17. press — a publisher
  18. rule — government
  19. net — in sport
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. rash — a series
  22. board — to get on
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. cabinet — ministers

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