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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: mug · bank · wave · object · board · bear · rule · shower

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. mug — a cup
  3. shower — to wash
  4. bank — for money
  5. bank — for money
  6. shower — rain
  7. rule — government
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. mug — a face
  10. board — a committee
  11. object — a thing
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. mug — to rob
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. rule — a law
  17. bear — the animal
  18. bear — the animal
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. object — to protest
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. board — to get on
  23. object — an aim
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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