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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: wake · ball · rush · leaves · spell · bear · board · bank

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. board — to get on
  3. bear — the animal
  4. spell — magic
  5. bank — for money
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. ball — a great time
  8. board — a committee
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. spell — letters
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. rush — hurry
  14. bank — for money
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. ball — a dance
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. bear — the animal
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. wake — a trail
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. bank — of a river

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