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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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. board — a committee
  3. wind — moving air
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. bank — of a river
  6. spring — of water
  7. bank — for money
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. board — to get on
  10. spring — the season
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. spring — a coil
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. fine — high quality
  16. wind — moving air
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. bank — for money
  20. fine — all right
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. rule — government
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. rule — a law

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