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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 120 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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. bank — for money
  3. board — to get on
  4. bank — of a river
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. fall — to drop
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. game — wild animals
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. fall — to drop
  14. stand — to bear
  15. bank — for money
  16. rock — a stone
  17. game — a match
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. fall — the season
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. prune — to trim
  22. rock — music
  23. prune — to trim
  24. board — a committee

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