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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'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. suit — in cards
  3. board — to get on
  4. firm — decided
  5. rest — what's left
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. field — for sport
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. firm — steady
  11. branch — a division
  12. field — a subject
  13. suit — clothes
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. suit — to fit
  16. rest — what's left
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. firm — a company
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. field — farmland
  24. rest — a break

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