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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. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. board — a committee
  3. board — to get on
  4. charge — in control
  5. scale — in music
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. deal — to handle
  11. charge — a price
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. lean — to bend
  14. lean — thin
  15. charge — electricity
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. drill — army training
  19. drill — the tool
  20. scale — size or range
  21. drill — a practice
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. rule — a law

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