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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. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. present — the time now
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. present — a gift
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. game — wild animals
  9. band — a music group
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. bank — for money
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. chair — a leader
  14. present — there
  15. band — a ring
  16. game — a match
  17. board — a committee
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. bank — of a river
  21. bank — for money
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. foot — a measure
  24. board — to get on

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