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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 116 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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. race — the arms race
  3. board — to get on
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. row — a line
  6. board — a committee
  7. rule — government
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. rest — what's left
  10. row — to paddle
  11. rest — a break
  12. wind — moving air
  13. rest — what's left
  14. stand — to bear
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. race — humankind
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. wind — moving air
  20. race — a contest
  21. rule — a law
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. hide — to keep secret

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