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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. bank — for money
  4. board — a committee
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. board — to get on
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. fine — all right
  9. rock — music
  10. bore — to tire
  11. bank — of a river
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. bank — for money
  15. sharp — clever
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. fine — high quality
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. bore — to drill
  21. stand — to bear
  22. rock — a stone
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. bore — gave birth

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