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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. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. key — in music
  4. degree — from a university
  5. board — a committee
  6. board — to get on
  7. wake — a trail
  8. degree — temperature
  9. key — for a lock
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. snap — to click
  12. degree — an amount
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. deal — to handle
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. rule — a law
  23. key — the most important part
  24. rule — government

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