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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: clip · wound · cap · firm · board · bowl · club · object

  1. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  16. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. cap — a hat
  3. wound — an injury
  4. cap — of ice
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. firm — a company
  7. object — an aim
  8. firm — decided
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. cap — a lid
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. board — to get on
  13. object — to protest
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. clip — a video
  16. clip — for paper
  17. board — a committee
  18. club — for golf
  19. club — a group
  20. firm — steady
  21. object — a thing
  22. club — for dancing
  23. clip — to cut
  24. wound — an injury

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