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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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. craft — boats
  3. staff — employees
  4. last — finally
  5. staff — employees
  6. board — a committee
  7. bass — the fish
  8. craft — a skill
  9. bass — low music
  10. bank — for money
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. bank — for money
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. staff — a stick
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. wake — a trail
  19. bank — of a river
  20. board — to get on
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. last — to go on
  24. last — final

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