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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. rest — what's left
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. present — a gift
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. firm — decided
  7. present — the time now
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. board — to get on
  11. wind — moving air
  12. wind — to turn a key
  13. bound — obliged
  14. rest — a break
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. firm — a company
  18. wind — moving air
  19. board — a committee
  20. rest — what's left
  21. bound — certain
  22. bound — tied together
  23. firm — steady
  24. fork — in a road

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