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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. ground — a position
  3. rest — a break
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. tube — the underground
  7. rule — government
  8. tube — a container
  9. bass — the fish
  10. ground — the earth
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. bass — low music
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. board — a committee
  17. rest — what's left
  18. rest — what's left
  19. ground — crushed
  20. board — to get on
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. rule — a law
  24. tube — in a tire

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