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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. ball — a dance
  3. staff — a stick
  4. board — to get on
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. bank — for money
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. swing — in golf
  9. land — to come down
  10. staff — employees
  11. fork — in a road
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. swing — to play on
  14. board — a committee
  15. swing — music
  16. land — ground
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. bank — for money
  19. staff — employees
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. bank — of a river
  22. land — a country
  23. ball — a great time
  24. ball — a round shape

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