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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. board — to get on
  3. land — ground
  4. bound — tied together
  5. squash — to crush
  6. rule — a law
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. squash — the sport
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. rock — music
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. rock — a stone
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. lie — to recline
  16. land — to come down
  17. chip — for betting
  18. bound — obliged
  19. chip — to eat
  20. land — a country
  21. bound — certain
  22. rule — government
  23. board — a committee
  24. chip — in a computer

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