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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. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. race — humankind
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. race — the arms race
  10. board — to get on
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. lie — to recline
  14. spring — of water
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. board — a committee
  17. pop — music
  18. spring — a coil
  19. pop — to visit
  20. pop — soda
  21. spring — the season
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. race — a contest
  24. rule — a law

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