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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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. mark — to pay attention
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. mark — a trace
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. swing — to play on
  9. bank — of a river
  10. vault — a safe
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. swing — in golf
  14. mark — a grade
  15. bound — certain
  16. swing — music
  17. bound — obliged
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. bank — for money
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. bound — tied together
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. bank — for money

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