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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 116 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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. bank — of a river
  4. bank — for money
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. bore — to tire
  7. board — a committee
  8. bank — for money
  9. bear — the animal
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. board — to get on
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. bore — to drill
  15. face — part of the head
  16. bear — the animal
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. face — to point toward
  19. band — a ring
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. face — to confront
  23. pound — a weight
  24. band — a music group

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