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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. scale — in music
  6. ground — a position
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. board — a committee
  9. prune — to trim
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. board — to get on
  13. ground — the earth
  14. ground — crushed
  15. scale — size or range
  16. bank — for money
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. prune — to trim
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. bank — of a river
  24. calf — of the leg

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