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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. There's no middle ________________.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. lean — to bend
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. bank — for money
  7. ground — crushed
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. band — a ring
  11. hand — help
  12. current — electric
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. lean — thin
  15. band — a music group
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. board — to get on
  18. current — happening now
  19. current — of water
  20. ground — the earth
  21. bank — of a river
  22. hand — in cards
  23. board — a committee
  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