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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. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. pit — a hole
  3. tube — the underground
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. board — a committee
  6. rule — government
  7. mate — a friend
  8. rest — what's left
  9. swing — to play on
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. rest — a break
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. mate — to breed
  15. tube — a container
  16. swing — music
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. board — to get on
  19. mate — a partner
  20. snap — to click
  21. rule — a law
  22. pit — in a race
  23. swing — in golf
  24. rest — what's left

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