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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 strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. board — a committee
  3. band — a ring
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. object — an aim
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. wind — moving air
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. ball — a great time
  12. object — to protest
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. object — a thing
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. band — a music group
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. lie — to recline
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. ball — a dance
  23. board — to get on
  24. band — a rubber band

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