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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. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. lean — thin
  3. lean — to bend
  4. swing — to play on
  5. drill — army training
  6. bore — to drill
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. vault — a safe
  10. board — a committee
  11. bank — for money
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. firm — a company
  14. swing — music
  15. drill — the tool
  16. firm — decided
  17. bank — for money
  18. swing — in golf
  19. drill — a practice
  20. board — to get on
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. bore — to tire
  23. bank — of a river
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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