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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. When are we going to ________________?
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. suit — in cards
  3. cap — of ice
  4. suit — to fit
  5. cap — a lid
  6. board — a committee
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. land — a country
  9. cap — a hat
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. firm — a company
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. branch — a division
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. board — to get on
  17. mine — for digging
  18. land — ground
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. suit — clothes
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. firm — steady
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. firm — decided

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