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

Word bank: cabinet · board · staff · rule · racket · pit

  1. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. pit — in a race
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. staff — a stick
  11. staff — employees
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. staff — employees
  15. rule — a law
  16. pit — a hole
  17. board — a committee
  18. board — to get on

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