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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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. net — for catching
  3. board — to get on
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. cell — a phone
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. net — in sport
  15. rule — a law
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. cell — in biology
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. stem — to come from
  20. pass — a permit
  21. pitch — completely
  22. lie — to recline
  23. board — a committee
  24. net — after costs

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