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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 can't ________________ this cold.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. bank — for money
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. land — ground
  5. bore — to drill
  6. file — a tool
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. bore — to tire
  9. bank — for money
  10. land — to come down
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. board — a committee
  13. file — a line of people
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. file — a document
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. board — to get on
  19. land — a country
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. bank — of a river
  24. deal — to handle

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