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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. bank — of a river
  4. season — in sport
  5. lean — to bend
  6. spell — letters
  7. spell — a short time
  8. season — of the year
  9. board — a committee
  10. lean — thin
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. board — to get on
  13. bank — for money
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. suit — clothes
  16. bank — for money
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. spell — magic
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. suit — in cards
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. wax — to grow

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