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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. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. tube — a container
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. tube — the underground
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. bank — of a river
  10. bank — for money
  11. bank — for money
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. board — a committee
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. board — to get on
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. game — wild animals
  20. stand — to bear
  21. branch — a division
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. game — a match

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