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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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. object — to protest
  3. club — for golf
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. object — an aim
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. club — a group
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. band — a ring
  12. band — a music group
  13. club — for dancing
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. board — to get on
  16. mine — for digging
  17. lie — to recline
  18. wind — moving air
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. board — a committee
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. wind — moving air
  24. cabinet — ministers

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