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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 120 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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. row — to paddle
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. firm — decided
  5. bank — for money
  6. board — to get on
  7. fall — to drop
  8. saw — the tool
  9. bank — of a river
  10. bank — for money
  11. saw — the tool
  12. can — a tin
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. can — to be able to
  15. fall — to drop
  16. lie — to recline
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. fall — the season
  19. firm — steady
  20. board — a committee
  21. row — a line
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. can — a tin
  24. firm — a company

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