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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 train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. suit — clothes
  3. stand — to bear
  4. rush — hurry
  5. board — to get on
  6. suit — to fit
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. board — a committee
  9. file — a tool
  10. suit — in cards
  11. rule — government
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. season — in sport
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. file — a line of people
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. file — a document
  21. rule — a law
  22. season — of the year
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. nail — for a hammer

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