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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: board · drill · bay · rule · chip · suit · degree · stick

  1. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. suit — to fit
  4. chip — for betting
  5. chip — to eat
  6. suit — clothes
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. board — to get on
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. suit — in cards
  11. drill — the tool
  12. degree — an amount
  13. board — a committee
  14. degree — from a university
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. drill — a practice
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. drill — army training
  21. rule — a law
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. degree — temperature
  24. rule — government

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