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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. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. ground — the earth
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. bank — for money
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. snap — to click
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. rock — a stone
  10. rock — music
  11. ground — crushed
  12. board — to get on
  13. perch — the fish
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. roll — a cake
  18. ground — a position
  19. board — a committee
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. bank — of a river
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. bank — for money

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