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

Word bank: rest · chest · board · current · cap · rule · face · suit

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  15. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. suit — clothes
  3. rule — a law
  4. rest — what's left
  5. current — electric
  6. face — to point toward
  7. current — of water
  8. board — a committee
  9. cap — a lid
  10. rest — what's left
  11. cap — of ice
  12. face — part of the head
  13. cap — a hat
  14. chest — a box
  15. chest — of your body
  16. rest — a break
  17. rule — government
  18. board — to get on
  19. suit — in cards
  20. suit — to fit
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. current — happening now
  23. face — to confront
  24. chest — of your body

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