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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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. board — a committee
  3. file — a document
  4. degree — temperature
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. bank — of a river
  7. suit — to fit
  8. perch — the fish
  9. suit — in cards
  10. mark — a grade
  11. degree — an amount
  12. degree — from a university
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. file — a tool
  15. bank — for money
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. suit — clothes
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. mark — a trace
  22. file — a line of people
  23. board — to get on
  24. board — a flat piece

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