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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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. bank — of a river
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. tube — a container
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. bank — for money
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. tube — the underground
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. kick — in football
  13. board — a committee
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. wind — moving air
  17. pop — soda
  18. pop — music
  19. wind — moving air
  20. pop — to visit
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. board — to get on
  24. bank — for money

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