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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. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  7. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. rule — government
  3. firm — steady
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. chip — to eat
  6. chest — of your body
  7. chest — of your body
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. firm — decided
  12. board — to get on
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. chip — for betting
  16. rule — a law
  17. firm — a company
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. vault — a safe
  23. chest — a box
  24. chip — in a computer

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