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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. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. wake — a trail
  3. board — a committee
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. board — to get on
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. cue — a hint
  9. bat — the animal
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. rule — government
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. rule — a law
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. stand — to bear
  16. mark — a trace
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. cue — for pool
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. mark — a grade
  24. cue — a signal

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