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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 people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. board — a committee
  5. rest — a break
  6. rest — what's left
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. pitch — completely
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. stand — to bear
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. wax — to grow
  20. deal — to handle
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. board — to get on
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. rest — what's left

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