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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. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. ground — the earth
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. lie — to recline
  12. rush — hurry
  13. rule — a law
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. board — to get on
  16. rule — government
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. ground — a position
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. ground — crushed
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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