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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 120 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. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. bass — the fish
  3. mate — to breed
  4. court — for sport
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. pit — in a race
  7. root — of a plant
  8. court — of a king
  9. mate — a friend
  10. board — to get on
  11. pit — a hole
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. mate — a partner
  17. snap — to click
  18. root — the cause
  19. court — of law
  20. rule — government
  21. bass — low music
  22. rule — a law
  23. root — of a word
  24. board — a committee

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