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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. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. wind — moving air
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. bulb — for light
  5. suit — to fit
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. staff — employees
  9. board — a committee
  10. suit — clothes
  11. staff — employees
  12. staff — a stick
  13. bear — the animal
  14. suit — in cards
  15. branch — a division
  16. board — to get on
  17. rest — what's left
  18. wind — moving air
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. rest — a break
  21. bear — the animal
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. rest — what's left
  24. bulb — for light

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