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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 train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. tube — a container
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. firm — decided
  9. row — a line
  10. wound — an injury
  11. tube — the underground
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. wound — an injury
  15. board — a committee
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. firm — steady
  19. chair — a leader
  20. firm — a company
  21. row — to paddle
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. board — to get on
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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