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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: mark · spring · bowl · shower · board · stand · tear · nail

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. board — to get on
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. tear — from crying
  7. stand — to bear
  8. shower — rain
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. spring — of water
  12. board — a committee
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. mark — a grade
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. spring — a coil
  18. mark — a trace
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. spring — the season
  21. tear — from crying
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. shower — to wash
  24. tear — to rip

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