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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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. pit — a fruit stone
  4. bank — for money
  5. pit — in a race
  6. pit — a hole
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. hand — help
  10. bass — the fish
  11. hand — in cards
  12. bank — of a river
  13. wax — to grow
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. board — to get on
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. board — a committee
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. roll — a cake
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. bass — low music
  24. roll — a list

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