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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 124 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. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. kick — in football
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. present — a gift
  5. rule — government
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. mate — a partner
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. present — the time now
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. pitch — completely
  13. stand — to bear
  14. wake — a trail
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. board — a committee
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. mate — to breed
  21. board — to get on
  22. present — there
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. rule — a law

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