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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. rule — a law
  4. cue — a signal
  5. squash — to crush
  6. squash — the sport
  7. board — to get on
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. firm — decided
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. cue — a hint
  12. charge — a price
  13. bat — the animal
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. firm — a company
  16. cue — for pool
  17. charge — electricity
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. charge — in control
  20. board — a committee
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. rush — hurry
  23. firm — steady
  24. rule — government

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