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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. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. board — a committee
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. pop — to visit
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. prune — to trim
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. bank — for money
  10. bank — of a river
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. pop — soda
  15. chair — a leader
  16. pop — music
  17. prune — to trim
  18. bank — for money

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