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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 124 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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  8. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. swing — to play on
  3. firm — decided
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. firm — steady
  6. swing — music
  7. tear — from crying
  8. tear — from crying
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. branch — a division
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. board — to get on
  14. season — in sport
  15. swing — in golf
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. board — a committee
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. season — of the year
  22. tear — to rip
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. hide — to keep secret

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