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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. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. rash — hasty
  3. bank — of a river
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. wind — moving air
  7. wind — moving air
  8. rash — a series
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. bank — for money
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. bank — for money
  15. prune — to trim
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. board — to get on
  18. land — a country
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. vault — a safe
  22. land — ground
  23. land — to come down
  24. board — a committee

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