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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. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. deal — to handle
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. rock — a stone
  6. present — there
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. board — to get on
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. board — a committee
  11. rock — music
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. degree — from a university
  14. rule — a law
  15. degree — an amount
  16. suit — in cards
  17. chip — to eat
  18. rule — government
  19. suit — to fit
  20. present — the time now
  21. present — a gift
  22. chip — for betting
  23. degree — temperature
  24. suit — clothes

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