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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. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. board — to get on
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. bank — for money
  6. lie — to recline
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. bat — the animal
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. bank — for money
  11. season — in sport
  12. bat — in an idiom
  13. club — for dancing
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. club — a group
  19. board — a committee
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. club — for golf
  23. bank — of a river
  24. bat — for baseball

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