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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. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. rule — a law
  3. board — a committee
  4. object — to protest
  5. suit — clothes
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. suit — in cards
  11. object — a thing
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. board — to get on
  14. suit — to fit
  15. stock — goods
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. stock — shares
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. object — an aim
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. bowl — to roll

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