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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. scale — size or range
  3. stand — to bear
  4. rule — government
  5. scale — in music
  6. board — to get on
  7. last — to go on
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. last — finally
  12. last — final
  13. fine — high quality
  14. board — a committee
  15. rest — a break
  16. stem — to come from
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. rest — what's left
  20. rule — a law
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. fine — all right
  23. rest — what's left
  24. fine — a penalty

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