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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 lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. board — a committee
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. bank — of a river
  5. toast — bread
  6. swing — to play on
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. bank — for money
  9. bank — for money
  10. chest — of your body
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. swing — in golf
  13. swing — music
  14. chest — of your body
  15. board — to get on
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. bear — the animal
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. branch — a division
  20. pit — in a race
  21. pit — a hole
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. bear — the animal
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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