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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 speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. rash — a series
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. scale — in music
  6. ground — a position
  7. pass — a permit
  8. board — a committee
  9. bear — the animal
  10. rash — hasty
  11. ground — crushed
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. bank — for money
  14. bear — the animal
  15. board — to get on
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. scale — size or range
  21. bank — for money
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. bank — of a river
  24. ground — the earth

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