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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. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. bank — for money
  4. race — the arms race
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. bank — for money
  9. prune — to trim
  10. squash — to crush
  11. fine — all right
  12. board — a committee
  13. clip — for paper
  14. prune — to trim
  15. bank — of a river
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. clip — a video
  18. squash — the sport
  19. clip — to cut
  20. race — a contest
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. race — humankind
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. fine — high quality

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