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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
468
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: spring · bank · wave · date · wound · board · chair · calf

  1. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. chair — a leader
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. bank — for money
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. date — the fruit
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. bank — for money
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. bank — of a river
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. spring — the season
  15. wound — an injury
  16. spring — of water
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. spring — a coil
  20. board — a committee
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. board — to get on

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