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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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. He was locked up in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. lean — thin
  4. cell — a phone
  5. bank — for money
  6. board — to get on
  7. board — a committee
  8. bore — to drill
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. rest — a break
  11. rest — what's left
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. bore — to tire
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. rest — what's left
  16. cell — in biology
  17. bank — for money
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. lean — to bend
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. bank — of a river
  22. firm — steady
  23. firm — a company
  24. cell — in a prison

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