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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. field — a subject
  4. bank — for money
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. bank — of a river
  8. staff — employees
  9. bank — for money
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. wind — moving air
  12. staff — employees
  13. court — of a king
  14. board — to get on
  15. court — of law
  16. board — a committee
  17. field — for sport
  18. court — for sport
  19. fork — in a road
  20. staff — a stick
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. wind — moving air
  24. field — farmland

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