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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. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. bank — for money
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. ground — a position
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. fork — in a road
  8. stock — shares
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. bound — tied together
  12. ground — the earth
  13. ground — crushed
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. bank — of a river
  16. bank — for money
  17. bound — certain
  18. bound — obliged
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. board — to get on
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. stock — goods
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. temple — a place of worship

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