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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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. stand — to bear
  3. rest — a break
  4. pass — a permit
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. wind — moving air
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. board — to get on
  11. bank — for money
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. wind — moving air
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. bank — for money
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. rest — what's left
  20. rest — what's left
  21. board — a committee
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. fan — a supporter

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