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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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. track — a song
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. bank — of a river
  5. drill — army training
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. track — to keep track
  8. bank — for money
  9. net — in sport
  10. staff — employees
  11. hand — help
  12. net — after costs
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. drill — the tool
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. hand — in cards
  17. bank — for money
  18. staff — employees
  19. track — a path
  20. board — to get on
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. staff — a stick
  23. board — a committee
  24. drill — a practice

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