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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 120 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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. rule — a law
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. rule — government
  5. pop — to visit
  6. board — a committee
  7. board — to get on
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. swing — music
  10. bore — to drill
  11. swing — to play on
  12. kid — child
  13. swing — in golf
  14. pop — soda
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. stand — to bear
  17. bore — to tire
  18. firm — a company
  19. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. firm — steady
  22. kid — to tease
  23. pop — music
  24. rule — to rule out

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