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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. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. object — an aim
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. object — a thing
  5. row — to paddle
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. rash — hasty
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. board — to get on
  10. bulb — for light
  11. chair — a leader
  12. rule — a law
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. board — a committee
  17. rash — a series
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. rule — government
  21. row — a line
  22. bulb — for light
  23. object — to protest
  24. nail — for a hammer

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