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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 120 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 chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. rule — a law
  4. stem — to come from
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. suit — in cards
  7. rule — government
  8. board — to get on
  9. pitch — completely
  10. suit — clothes
  11. board — a committee
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. game — a match
  18. suit — to fit
  19. key — for a lock
  20. key — the most important part
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. game — wild animals
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. key — in music

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