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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. wind — moving air
  3. hand — in cards
  4. object — an aim
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. object — to protest
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. firm — a company
  9. hand — help
  10. lean — to bend
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. bank — for money
  13. wind — moving air
  14. object — a thing
  15. firm — decided
  16. board — a committee
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. lean — thin
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. board — to get on
  21. wound — an injury
  22. firm — steady
  23. bank — for money
  24. wound — an injury

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