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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 captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. rule — a law
  4. rule — government
  5. rest — what's left
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. press — to push
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. press — a publisher
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. spell — a short time
  16. spell — letters
  17. roll — a cake
  18. rest — a break
  19. roll — a list
  20. press — newspapers
  21. board — a committee
  22. rest — what's left
  23. spell — magic
  24. arm — a part of something

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