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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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. bound — tied together
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. object — a thing
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. board — to get on
  7. bulb — for light
  8. object — to protest
  9. lean — thin
  10. staff — employees
  11. mug — a face
  12. board — a committee
  13. object — an aim
  14. mug — to rob
  15. staff — a stick
  16. bound — obliged
  17. lean — to bend
  18. bulb — for light
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. mug — a cup
  21. bound — certain
  22. branch — a division
  23. staff — employees
  24. branch — of a tree

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