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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. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. bound — certain
  6. sharp — clever
  7. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  8. kid — child
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. kid — to tease
  11. wake — a trail
  12. branch — a division
  13. chip — for betting
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. firm — a company
  16. firm — decided
  17. bound — obliged
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. chip — to eat
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. board — a committee
  23. bound — tied together
  24. firm — steady

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