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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: rule · board · bat · rest · cell · lie · suit · rock

  1. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. board — a committee
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. board — to get on
  6. rock — a stone
  7. bat — the animal
  8. suit — clothes
  9. cell — in biology
  10. suit — to fit
  11. rest — what's left
  12. cell — a phone
  13. suit — in cards
  14. lie — to recline
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. rule — government
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. rest — a break
  21. rule — a law
  22. rest — what's left
  23. rock — music
  24. bat — for baseball

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