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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. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. board — a committee
  3. rock — music
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. hand — in cards
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. rule — government
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. mark — a grade
  12. mark — a trace
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. board — to get on
  17. toast — bread
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. hand — help
  20. stock — goods
  21. rock — a stone
  22. stock — shares
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. rule — a law

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