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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 124 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 kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. bear — the animal
  3. bear — the animal
  4. board — to get on
  5. cue — a hint
  6. squash — the sport
  7. rule — a law
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. pitch — completely
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. cue — a signal
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. ball — a dance
  16. board — a committee
  17. ball — a great time
  18. cue — for pool
  19. rash — a series
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. rash — hasty
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. squash — to crush
  24. rule — government

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