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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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. board — to get on
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. rule — government
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. cap — of ice
  8. suit — clothes
  9. current — of water
  10. suit — in cards
  11. net — for catching
  12. net — in sport
  13. rest — what's left
  14. current — electric
  15. cap — a hat
  16. suit — to fit
  17. rest — what's left
  18. rest — a break
  19. net — after costs
  20. cell — a phone
  21. board — a committee
  22. rule — a law
  23. current — happening now
  24. cell — in biology

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