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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. game — a match
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. rock — music
  6. capital — money
  7. bank — of a river
  8. board — to get on
  9. rock — a stone
  10. fine — high quality
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. game — wild animals
  13. bank — for money
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. fine — all right
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. capital — a big letter
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. capital — a city
  22. board — a committee
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. board — a flat piece

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