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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. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. suit — in cards
  4. net — for catching
  5. net — in sport
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. suit — clothes
  10. rule — a law
  11. board — to get on
  12. net — after costs
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. board — a committee
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. plane — a tool
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. dip — to sink
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. suit — to fit
  24. plane — an aircraft

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