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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. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. rash — a series
  3. board — to get on
  4. race — a contest
  5. rule — government
  6. race — the arms race
  7. rule — a law
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. wake — a trail
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. current — of water
  12. current — electric
  13. rash — hasty
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. saw — the tool
  16. board — a committee
  17. race — humankind
  18. pass — a permit
  19. saw — the tool
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. current — happening now

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