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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 116 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'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. The water is too ________________.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. present — there
  4. bound — tied together
  5. suit — to fit
  6. suit — in cards
  7. rule — government
  8. present — the time now
  9. cold — an illness
  10. bound — certain
  11. cold — not warm
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. board — a committee
  15. suit — clothes
  16. rule — a law
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. firm — a company
  19. board — to get on
  20. bound — obliged
  21. firm — decided
  22. deal — to handle
  23. present — a gift
  24. cold — the Cold War

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