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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. False peace will not ________________.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  10. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. board — a committee
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. fine — high quality
  5. board — to get on
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. tear — from crying
  10. tear — from crying
  11. fine — all right
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. tear — to rip
  16. last — final
  17. last — finally
  18. rash — hasty
  19. bank — of a river
  20. bank — for money
  21. chair — a leader
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. rash — a series
  24. bank — for money

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