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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. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. rule — a law
  5. spell — a short time
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. rule — government
  8. lean — thin
  9. pound — a weight
  10. snap — to click
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. board — to get on
  13. spell — magic
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. lean — to bend
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. spell — letters
  20. board — a committee
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. stock — shares
  23. stock — goods
  24. lean — to rest against

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