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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: bank · fall · court · wave · board · spell · pitcher · mate

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. court — of law
  4. mate — to breed
  5. bank — for money
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. spell — a short time
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. board — a committee
  11. board — to get on
  12. court — of a king
  13. fall — to drop
  14. spell — magic
  15. fall — the season
  16. spell — letters
  17. fall — to drop
  18. court — for sport
  19. mate — a friend
  20. mate — a partner
  21. bank — for money
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. bank — of a river

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