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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 116 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: spell · chair · wind · board · bank · nail · tube · cabinet

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. spell — magic
  7. tube — a container
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. tube — the underground
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. chair — a leader
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. wind — moving air
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. spell — letters
  16. board — to get on
  17. board — a committee
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. bank — for money
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. wind — moving air
  22. bank — of a river
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. spell — a short time

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