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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. firm — decided
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. mark — a grade
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. board — to get on
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. mark — a trace
  12. firm — a company
  13. branch — a division
  14. bulb — for light
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. board — a committee
  17. bulb — for light
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. firm — steady
  21. mine — for digging
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. arm — part of the body

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