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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 116 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 flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. 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. spring — the season
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. game — wild animals
  5. board — to get on
  6. board — a committee
  7. present — there
  8. bank — of a river
  9. bank — for money
  10. spring — a coil
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. chair — a leader
  13. spring — of water
  14. key — in music
  15. key — for a lock
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. present — a gift
  19. stand — to bear
  20. present — the time now
  21. game — a match
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. key — the most important part
  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