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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: nail · spring · bank · deal · rock · temple · board · pitcher

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. deal — to handle
  7. bank — of a river
  8. rock — a stone
  9. board — a committee
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. spring — the season
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. rock — music
  15. bank — for money
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. spring — a coil
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. bank — for money
  20. spring — of water
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. board — to get on

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