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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. land — to come down
  3. board — a committee
  4. bank — for money
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. land — a country
  8. plane — a tool
  9. bore — to drill
  10. face — to confront
  11. bank — for money
  12. face — to point toward
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. bank — of a river
  15. land — ground
  16. face — part of the head
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. board — to get on
  19. rush — hurry
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. bore — to tire
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. bore — gave birth

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