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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 120 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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. board — to get on
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. track — a song
  6. bank — for money
  7. lean — thin
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. track — a path
  10. suit — clothes
  11. wake — a trail
  12. ball — a great time
  13. stock — goods
  14. ball — a dance
  15. bank — for money
  16. suit — to fit
  17. board — a committee
  18. stock — shares
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. suit — in cards
  21. bank — of a river
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. track — to keep track
  24. board — a flat piece

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