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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 116 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: rash · tube · drill · board · rule · chip · swing · wake

  1. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. board — a committee
  3. rule — government
  4. swing — in golf
  5. drill — the tool
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. rash — hasty
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. tube — the underground
  11. swing — music
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. drill — army training
  14. rash — a series
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. swing — to play on
  18. chip — for betting
  19. drill — a practice
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. tube — a container
  22. rule — a law
  23. board — to get on
  24. chip — to eat

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