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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. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. rule — government
  4. rule — a law
  5. board — a committee
  6. charge — in control
  7. rest — a break
  8. charge — electricity
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. charge — a price
  11. rest — what's left
  12. wake — a trail
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. rest — what's left
  15. stand — to bear
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. board — to get on
  23. wind — moving air
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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