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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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. board — a committee
  4. saw — the tool
  5. suit — in cards
  6. hand — in cards
  7. bank — of a river
  8. firm — steady
  9. suit — clothes
  10. bank — for money
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. mine — for digging
  14. suit — to fit
  15. plane — a tool
  16. board — to get on
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. firm — a company
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. firm — decided
  21. bank — for money
  22. hand — help
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. saw — the tool

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