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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: chair · spell · board · mug · lie · row · fan · rule

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. mug — to rob
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. rule — government
  7. board — to get on
  8. row — a line
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. rule — a law
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. lie — to recline
  13. spell — letters
  14. board — a committee
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. spell — magic
  20. row — to paddle
  21. mug — a cup
  22. mug — a face
  23. spell — a short time
  24. chair — a leader

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