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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. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. content — the amount
  4. board — to get on
  5. bear — the animal
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. bank — for money
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. field — a subject
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. bank — of a river
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. wind — moving air
  15. content — happy
  16. field — for sport
  17. bank — for money
  18. bear — the animal
  19. wind — moving air
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. board — a committee
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. field — farmland
  24. bear — to put up with

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