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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. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. bank — of a river
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. drill — a practice
  5. chair — a leader
  6. drill — army training
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. bank — for money
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. wind — moving air
  12. rock — music
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. board — a committee
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. rock — a stone
  17. bank — for money
  18. board — to get on
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. wind — moving air
  23. sharp — clever
  24. board — a flat piece

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