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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. bank — for money
  3. craft — a skill
  4. cue — for pool
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. bank — of a river
  8. root — of a word
  9. root — of a plant
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. bank — for money
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. board — to get on
  14. cue — a signal
  15. craft — boats
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. cue — a hint
  18. root — the cause

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