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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  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. rock — a stone
  2. cap — a hat
  3. spell — letters
  4. fine — all right
  5. kick — in football
  6. fine — high quality
  7. rock — music
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. squash — the sport
  12. rule — a law
  13. board — to get on
  14. board — a committee
  15. squash — to crush
  16. spell — a short time
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. cap — a lid
  20. cap — of ice
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. spell — magic
  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