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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 120 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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  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. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. cue — a hint
  3. wound — an injury
  4. suit — in cards
  5. board — a committee
  6. cue — a signal
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. rule — a law
  9. cue — for pool
  10. last — final
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. wound — an injury
  14. suit — to fit
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. last — finally
  17. last — to go on
  18. swing — to play on
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. board — to get on
  21. suit — clothes
  22. swing — music
  23. swing — in golf
  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