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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 120 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. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. lean — to bend
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. suit — in cards
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. deal — to handle
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. bound — tied together
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. branch — a division
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. board — to get on
  16. board — a committee
  17. lean — thin
  18. suit — clothes
  19. bound — obliged
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. suit — to fit
  24. bound — certain

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