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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: firm · bat · lean · fine · rest · toast · staff · board

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. staff — employees
  3. rest — what's left
  4. board — a committee
  5. rest — what's left
  6. firm — a company
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. staff — employees
  9. board — to get on
  10. firm — decided
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. lean — to bend
  13. fine — high quality
  14. toast — bread
  15. bat — the animal
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. firm — steady
  18. staff — a stick
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. lean — thin
  22. rest — a break
  23. fine — all right
  24. toast — the most admired

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