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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 116 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 chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. rush — hurry
  5. bore — to drill
  6. board — a committee
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. field — farmland
  9. firm — decided
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. bore — to tire
  12. rule — a law
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. field — for sport
  15. pitch — completely
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. rule — government
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. board — to get on
  21. field — a subject
  22. firm — a company
  23. firm — steady
  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