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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 120 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 is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. fall — the season
  4. board — to get on
  5. bank — of a river
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. bank — for money
  9. fall — to drop
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. bark — to shout
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. board — a committee
  18. rush — hurry
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. bank — for money
  23. fall — to drop
  24. nail — on a finger

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