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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. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. board — a committee
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. staff — employees
  5. bound — tied together
  6. swing — music
  7. bound — obliged
  8. root — of a plant
  9. swing — in golf
  10. staff — a stick
  11. fall — the season
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. board — to get on
  14. root — of a word
  15. field — a subject
  16. field — for sport
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. root — the cause
  19. staff — employees
  20. branch — a division
  21. swing — to play on
  22. fall — to drop
  23. field — farmland
  24. fall — to drop

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