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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. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. face — to point toward
  5. bank — for money
  6. court — of a king
  7. wind — moving air
  8. bank — for money
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. face — to confront
  11. chip — for betting
  12. board — a committee
  13. face — part of the head
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. court — of law
  18. bank — of a river
  19. court — for sport
  20. rush — hurry
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. chip — to eat
  23. board — to get on
  24. rush — a thrill

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