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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: board · object · hand · bore · wind · rule · hide · game

  1. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. bore — to drill
  3. rule — government
  4. object — a thing
  5. board — a committee
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. hand — help
  8. bore — to tire
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. game — wild animals
  11. rule — a law
  12. object — to protest
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. wind — moving air
  16. wind — moving air
  17. hand — in cards
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. game — a match
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. board — to get on
  22. object — an aim
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. wind — to turn a key

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