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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. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. staff — employees
  4. staff — a stick
  5. firm — decided
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. clip — to cut
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. stand — to bear
  10. firm — a company
  11. fine — high quality
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. staff — employees
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. clip — for paper
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. wind — moving air
  19. firm — steady
  20. fine — all right
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. clip — a video
  23. board — to get on
  24. wind — moving air

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