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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. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. firm — steady
  3. lie — to recline
  4. craft — boats
  5. firm — a company
  6. board — to get on
  7. capital — a city
  8. bank — for money
  9. firm — decided
  10. craft — a skill
  11. capital — money
  12. bear — the animal
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. bank — of a river
  15. bear — the animal
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. bank — for money
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. dip — to sink
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. board — a flat piece

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