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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'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. bank — of a river
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. vault — a safe
  5. lean — to bend
  6. bank — for money
  7. board — to get on
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. wind — moving air
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. shower — rain
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. spell — a short time
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. bank — for money
  18. spell — magic
  19. shower — to wash
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. wind — moving air
  23. spell — letters
  24. lean — thin

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