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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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. wind — moving air
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. ground — crushed
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. board — to get on
  7. mark — a trace
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. mark — a grade
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. fall — the season
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. board — a committee
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. ground — a position
  17. fall — to drop
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. bound — obliged
  20. fall — to drop
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. bound — certain
  23. wind — moving air
  24. ground — the earth

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