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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'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. file — a line of people
  4. deal — to handle
  5. drill — army training
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. dip — to sink
  8. drill — a practice
  9. rule — government
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. game — a match
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. game — wild animals
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. file — a tool
  16. board — to get on
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. file — a document
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. rule — a law
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. drill — the tool
  24. game — a kind of play

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