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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. bank — for money
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. bank — for money
  6. capital — money
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. plane — a tool
  10. season — in sport
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. season — of the year
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. board — a committee
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. capital — a city
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. board — to get on
  24. fan — a supporter

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