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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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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. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. last — finally
  2. board — a committee
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. land — to come down
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. land — a country
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. wake — a trail
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. lie — to recline
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. last — final
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. bank — for money
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. rush — hurry
  19. last — to go on
  20. board — to get on
  21. bank — for money
  22. bank — of a river
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. land — ground

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