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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: rest · board · pop · bank · wave · court · nail · face

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. board — to get on
  3. bank — for money
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. rest — what's left
  6. court — of a king
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. rest — what's left
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. bank — of a river
  11. rest — a break
  12. face — to point toward
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. bank — for money
  16. pop — to visit
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. board — a committee
  19. court — of law
  20. pop — music
  21. pop — soda
  22. face — to confront
  23. court — for sport
  24. face — part of the head

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