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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. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. row — a line
  3. bank — of a river
  4. bank — for money
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. band — a music group
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. board — to get on
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. board — a committee
  13. stem — to come from
  14. band — a ring
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. perch — the fish
  17. row — to paddle
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. bank — for money
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. stem — of a plant

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