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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. rule — government
  3. board — to get on
  4. lie — to recline
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. court — of a king
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. rule — a law
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. bulb — for light
  15. bulb — for light
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. court — of law
  19. court — for sport
  20. board — a committee
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. lie — an untruth

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