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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. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. wind — moving air
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. hand — in cards
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. board — to get on
  8. board — a committee
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. charge — electricity
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. wind — moving air
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. charge — a price
  18. rash — hasty
  19. charge — in control
  20. hand — help
  21. rash — a series
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. rash — on the skin

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