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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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. bat — the animal
  3. board — a committee
  4. bank — for money
  5. bank — for money
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. vault — a safe
  8. bound — obliged
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. sharp — clever
  11. board — to get on
  12. bound — tied together
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. bore — to drill
  15. bound — certain
  16. rock — music
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. rock — a stone
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. bank — of a river
  24. bore — to tire

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