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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. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. The water is too ________________.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — the Cold War
  2. pit — in a race
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. field — a subject
  5. bank — for money
  6. field — farmland
  7. field — for sport
  8. board — a committee
  9. bank — for money
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. cold — an illness
  14. firm — a company
  15. pit — a hole
  16. mate — to breed
  17. board — to get on
  18. firm — steady
  19. mate — a friend
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. cold — not warm
  22. firm — decided
  23. mate — a partner
  24. bank — of a river

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