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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: roll · wind · suit · board · rule · stick · squash · rock

  1. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. roll — a list
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. squash — to crush
  5. rule — a law
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. wind — moving air
  9. wind — moving air
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. rock — music
  12. suit — in cards
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. suit — to fit
  15. roll — a cake
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. rule — government
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. board — to get on
  20. suit — clothes
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. rock — a stone
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. squash — the sport

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