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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 office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. staff — a stick
  4. board — to get on
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. wind — moving air
  8. staff — employees
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. bank — for money
  11. board — a committee
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. bound — tied together
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. wind — moving air
  17. bank — for money
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. bound — obliged
  21. bank — of a river
  22. bound — certain
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. pound — a weight

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