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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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. lean — thin
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. rest — what's left
  6. pit — a hole
  7. board — to get on
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. rest — what's left
  10. prune — to trim
  11. stock — shares
  12. lean — to bend
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. rule — government
  15. prune — to trim
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. stock — goods
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. plane — a tool
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. pit — in a race
  23. board — a committee
  24. rest — a break

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