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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: lie · nail · board · firm · bulb · bank · game · wake

  1. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. firm — a company
  3. game — wild animals
  4. firm — steady
  5. board — a committee
  6. firm — decided
  7. bulb — for light
  8. bank — for money
  9. bank — for money
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. wake — a trail
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. lie — to recline
  16. game — a match
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. bulb — for light
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. board — to get on
  23. bank — of a river
  24. lie — an untruth

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