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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 116 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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. game — a match
  4. bank — for money
  5. rock — music
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. bark — to shout
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. bank — for money
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. rock — a stone
  14. board — to get on
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. board — a committee
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. game — wild animals

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