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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. game — wild animals
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. track — a path
  7. game — a match
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. bound — certain
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. bank — for money
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. bound — tied together
  16. track — to keep track
  17. bank — of a river
  18. bound — obliged
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. stand — to bear
  22. board — a committee
  23. track — a song
  24. board — to get on

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