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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 sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. cell — a phone
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. object — to protest
  12. wind — moving air
  13. cell — in biology
  14. board — to get on
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. board — a committee
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. object — a thing
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. object — an aim
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. kick — in football
  24. wind — moving air

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