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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  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. board — a flat piece
  2. suit — to fit
  3. cap — of ice
  4. craft — a skill
  5. firm — steady
  6. firm — decided
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. lean — thin
  9. firm — a company
  10. suit — in cards
  11. cap — a hat
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. spring — of water
  15. suit — clothes
  16. lean — to bend
  17. spring — the season
  18. spring — a coil
  19. cap — a lid
  20. board — a committee
  21. craft — boats
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. cabinet — ministers
  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