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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. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. bear — the animal
  3. board — to get on
  4. date — the fruit
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. rule — government
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. shower — to wash
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. sharp — clever
  17. shower — rain
  18. bear — the animal
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. rule — a law
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. bear — to put up with

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