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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. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. drill — army training
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. drill — a practice
  7. drill — the tool
  8. firm — a company
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. ball — a great time
  11. board — a committee
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. rule — government
  14. rule — a law
  15. craft — a skill
  16. mate — a partner
  17. firm — steady
  18. firm — decided
  19. sharp — clever
  20. board — to get on
  21. craft — boats
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. mate — to breed
  24. ball — a dance

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