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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. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — child
  2. board — a committee
  3. firm — a company
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. board — to get on
  6. rule — government
  7. mark — a grade
  8. object — an aim
  9. object — a thing
  10. object — to protest
  11. kid — to tease
  12. firm — decided
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. firm — steady
  16. mark — a trace
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. rule — a law
  19. tube — a container
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. pass — a permit
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. tube — the underground
  24. rule — to rule out

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