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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. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. bank — for money
  3. ground — crushed
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. scale — in music
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. ground — a position
  9. ground — the earth
  10. board — a committee
  11. scale — size or range
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. bank — for money
  15. wind — moving air
  16. kick — in football
  17. board — to get on
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. bank — of a river
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. wind — moving air
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. plane — a tool
  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