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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. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. He was locked up in a ________________.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. bank — of a river
  3. bank — for money
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. board — to get on
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. bank — for money
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. band — a music group
  11. lean — thin
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. cell — a phone
  14. lean — to bend
  15. cell — in a prison
  16. vault — a safe
  17. band — a ring
  18. bound — tied together
  19. board — a committee
  20. bound — obliged
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. cell — in biology
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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