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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 120 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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. bank — of a river
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. bank — for money
  11. press — a publisher
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. press — to push
  14. wound — an injury
  15. board — a committee
  16. press — newspapers
  17. pound — a weight
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. board — to get on
  20. wound — an injury
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. ruler — for measuring

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