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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 124 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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. can — a tin
  3. plane — a tool
  4. rule — government
  5. squash — the sport
  6. land — ground
  7. board — a committee
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. land — a country
  11. can — a tin
  12. rule — a law
  13. board — to get on
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. drill — a practice
  16. land — to come down
  17. drill — the tool
  18. charge — in control
  19. can — to be able to
  20. drill — army training
  21. charge — a price
  22. charge — electricity
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. squash — to crush

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