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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. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. board — a committee
  3. toast — bread
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. swing — in golf
  6. cap — a hat
  7. face — to point toward
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. swing — to play on
  13. face — part of the head
  14. swing — music
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. board — to get on
  17. cap — of ice
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. rule — a law
  21. cap — a lid
  22. face — to confront
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. stand — to bear

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