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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: board · wave · scale · hide · bank · dip · track · tube

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. board — a committee
  3. bank — of a river
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. scale — in music
  7. board — to get on
  8. bank — for money
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. tube — the underground
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. dip — to sink
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. scale — size or range
  17. track — to keep track
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. track — a song
  21. track — a path
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. bank — for money
  24. tube — a container

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