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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. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. board — a committee
  3. drill — the tool
  4. drill — army training
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. race — humankind
  8. hand — help
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. hand — in cards
  12. rule — a law
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. drill — a practice
  15. race — the arms race
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. race — a contest
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. pitch — completely
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. rule — government
  24. board — to get on

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