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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  4. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. land — to come down
  3. chest — a box
  4. chest — of your body
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. wind — moving air
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. stand — to bear
  10. bank — for money
  11. rule — a law
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. wind — moving air
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. land — a country
  17. rule — government
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. chest — of your body
  20. bank — for money
  21. board — to get on
  22. pass — a permit
  23. land — ground
  24. board — a committee

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