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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. chest — a box
  3. current — happening now
  4. board — a committee
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. chest — of your body
  8. board — to get on
  9. wind — moving air
  10. rule — government
  11. wind — moving air
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. current — electric
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. rule — a law
  19. chest — of your body
  20. lie — to recline
  21. snap — to click
  22. branch — a division
  23. current — of water
  24. lie — an untruth

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