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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 112 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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. board — to get on
  3. race — a contest
  4. race — the arms race
  5. board — a committee
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. bound — tied together
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. rush — hurry
  13. firm — steady
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. bank — for money
  16. bound — certain
  17. bound — obliged
  18. bank — for money
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. firm — a company
  21. bank — of a river
  22. bat — the animal
  23. race — humankind
  24. firm — decided

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