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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. kick — in football
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. rule — government
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. bat — the animal
  10. board — a committee
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. board — to get on
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. stem — to come from
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. rule — a law
  24. kick — a thrill

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