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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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. wake — a trail
  11. board — to get on
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. bank — for money
  16. bank — for money
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. bank — of a river

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