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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. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. land — to come down
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. face — part of the head
  5. face — to confront
  6. board — to get on
  7. firm — a company
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. board — a committee
  10. kick — in football
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. race — humankind
  13. land — a country
  14. rule — a law
  15. firm — decided
  16. face — to point toward
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. race — the arms race
  19. rule — government
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. land — ground
  23. race — a contest
  24. firm — steady

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