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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 120 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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. fine — high quality
  3. game — wild animals
  4. game — a match
  5. board — a committee
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. fine — all right
  10. bank — for money
  11. board — to get on
  12. bank — of a river
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. bank — for money
  16. rock — music
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. rock — a stone

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