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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. firm — decided
  4. season — in sport
  5. board — a committee
  6. present — the time now
  7. scale — in music
  8. tear — to rip
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. suit — to fit
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. scale — size or range
  13. pit — a hole
  14. tear — from crying
  15. firm — steady
  16. present — a gift
  17. season — of the year
  18. tear — from crying
  19. present — there
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. suit — in cards
  22. pit — in a race
  23. suit — clothes
  24. board — to get on

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