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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. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. rock — a stone
  3. rule — government
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. rock — music
  7. board — to get on
  8. chest — a box
  9. rule — a law
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. chest — of your body
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. staff — a stick
  14. chest — of your body
  15. branch — a division
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. staff — employees
  20. pitch — completely
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. staff — employees
  24. board — a committee

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