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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.

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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 · stick · wave · tube · pound · board · firm · spell

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. bank — of a river
  3. tube — the underground
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. firm — a company
  7. firm — decided
  8. bank — for money
  9. tube — a container
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. bank — for money
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. board — to get on
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. spell — a short time
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. firm — steady
  21. spell — letters
  22. board — a committee
  23. pound — a weight
  24. pound — for dogs

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