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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. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. rule — government
  3. charge — in control
  4. board — a committee
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. charge — a price
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. swing — to play on
  12. board — to get on
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. prune — to trim
  15. rule — a law
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. charge — electricity
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. prune — to trim
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. swing — in golf
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. hide — to keep secret

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