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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. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. fine — all right
  6. branch — a division
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. rest — what's left
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. fine — high quality
  13. board — to get on
  14. pit — a hole
  15. wind — moving air
  16. pit — in a race
  17. wind — moving air
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. lie — to recline
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. board — a committee
  23. rest — a break
  24. wake — a trail

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