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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. club — for dancing
  3. firm — steady
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. bank — for money
  6. charge — in control
  7. bat — the animal
  8. charge — a price
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. board — to get on
  11. bank — for money
  12. club — a group
  13. bat — in an idiom
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. club — for golf
  17. firm — decided
  18. bank — of a river
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. board — a committee
  21. charge — electricity
  22. shower — to wash
  23. bat — for baseball
  24. shower — rain

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