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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. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. board — a committee
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. prune — to trim
  5. bank — for money
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. kid — to tease
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. bank — for money
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. kid — child
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. prune — to trim
  20. bank — of a river
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. toast — bread
  24. bowl — a football final

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