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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 teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. board — a committee
  3. game — wild animals
  4. toast — bread
  5. bank — for money
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. saw — the tool
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. board — to get on
  14. saw — the tool
  15. bank — of a river
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. roll — a cake
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. game — a match
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. 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