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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 124 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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: cabinet · board · firm · bear · fine · roll · net · object

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. board — a committee
  3. object — to protest
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. bear — the animal
  7. firm — steady
  8. firm — decided
  9. object — a thing
  10. roll — a cake
  11. object — an aim
  12. firm — a company
  13. fine — all right
  14. net — after costs
  15. net — for catching
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. fine — high quality
  19. board — to get on
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. net — in sport
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. bear — the animal
  24. roll — a list

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