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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: cap · stick · board · rule · bowl · cell

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. rule — government
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. rule — a law
  5. cell — in biology
  6. cap — a lid
  7. board — a committee
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. cell — a phone
  13. cap — a hat
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. cap — of ice
  16. board — to get on
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. stick — a piece of wood

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