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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. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. bank — for money
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. rule — government
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. bank — of a river
  9. bank — for money
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. ball — a dance
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. branch — a division
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. rule — a law
  17. board — to get on
  18. ball — a great time
  19. spring — of water
  20. board — a committee
  21. spring — a coil
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. spring — the season
  24. wave — with your hand

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