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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. The water is too ________________.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. suit — clothes
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. cold — the Cold War
  5. board — a committee
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. firm — a company
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. firm — steady
  10. present — the time now
  11. present — a gift
  12. suit — to fit
  13. can — a tin
  14. branch — a division
  15. cold — not warm
  16. firm — decided
  17. suit — in cards
  18. board — to get on
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. can — to be able to
  22. cold — an illness
  23. can — a tin
  24. present — there

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