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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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. club — for golf
  3. suit — in cards
  4. suit — clothes
  5. net — after costs
  6. wind — moving air
  7. board — to get on
  8. wind — moving air
  9. net — in sport
  10. suit — to fit
  11. charge — in control
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. fork — in a road
  14. firm — a company
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. firm — steady
  17. board — a committee
  18. club — a group
  19. charge — electricity
  20. net — for catching
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. charge — a price
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. club — for dancing

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