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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 120 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 ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. board — to get on
  3. fine — all right
  4. bank — for money
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. ground — a position
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. board — a committee
  9. key — in music
  10. ground — crushed
  11. bank — of a river
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. band — a ring
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. bank — for money
  18. fine — high quality
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. band — a music group
  21. key — for a lock
  22. key — the most important part
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. board — a flat piece

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