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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. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. last — final
  2. last — to go on
  3. bank — for money
  4. bound — tied together
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. deal — to handle
  7. bound — obliged
  8. firm — decided
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. firm — a company
  11. rush — hurry
  12. bank — for money
  13. bound — certain
  14. last — finally
  15. board — to get on
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. bank — of a river
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. fine — high quality
  21. firm — steady
  22. fine — all right
  23. board — a committee
  24. board — a flat piece

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