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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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. board — a committee
  3. bear — the animal
  4. bear — the animal
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. kid — child
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. sharp — clever
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. can — a tin
  13. bass — low music
  14. board — to get on
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. bass — the fish
  17. kid — to tease
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. rule — government
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. rush — hurry
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. can — a tin
  24. can — to be able to

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