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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. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. lean — to bend
  5. lean — thin
  6. stand — to bear
  7. degree — temperature
  8. degree — from a university
  9. degree — an amount
  10. bass — the fish
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. craft — boats
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. board — to get on
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. bass — low music
  20. craft — a skill
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. stand — for spectators

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