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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. chest — of your body
  4. bank — for money
  5. bat — the animal
  6. chest — of your body
  7. board — a committee
  8. root — the cause
  9. root — of a plant
  10. key — for a lock
  11. key — in music
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. firm — steady
  14. board — to get on
  15. firm — decided
  16. suit — in cards
  17. key — the most important part
  18. firm — a company
  19. suit — clothes
  20. bat — in an idiom
  21. bank — for money
  22. root — of a word
  23. chest — a box
  24. bank — of a river

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