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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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. ground — crushed
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. ground — a position
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. bound — tied together
  7. spell — magic
  8. bound — obliged
  9. club — for golf
  10. board — a committee
  11. club — a group
  12. board — to get on
  13. spell — letters
  14. branch — a division
  15. bound — certain
  16. ground — the earth
  17. club — for dancing
  18. bank — of a river
  19. bank — for money
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. spell — a short time
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. board — a flat piece

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