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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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. rest — what's left
  3. rule — a law
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. lean — thin
  7. board — a committee
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. rest — a break
  10. board — to get on
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. rule — government
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. ground — a position
  17. chair — a leader
  18. ground — crushed
  19. rest — what's left
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. lean — to bend
  24. ground — the earth

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