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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 116 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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. row — to paddle
  3. bulb — for light
  4. board — to get on
  5. wound — an injury
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. stand — to bear
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. bulb — for light
  11. squash — to crush
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. board — a committee
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. wound — an injury
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. kick — in football
  21. row — a line
  22. firm — steady
  23. squash — the sport
  24. firm — a company

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