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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.

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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: ball · bank · tear · spell · mouse · nail · leaves · board

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. bank — for money
  3. tear — from crying
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. spell — magic
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. bank — for money
  8. tear — to rip
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. tear — from crying
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. ball — a great time
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. board — to get on
  16. board — a committee
  17. spell — a short time
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. ball — a dance
  20. spell — letters
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. bank — of a river
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. mouse — the animal

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