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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 captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. suit — to fit
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. rash — a series
  6. pound — a weight
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. board — a committee
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. rule — government
  12. rule — a law
  13. suit — clothes
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. rash — hasty
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. pitch — completely
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. suit — in cards
  24. board — a flat piece

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