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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 116 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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. shower — to wash
  4. capital — money
  5. board — to get on
  6. board — a committee
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. capital — a city
  9. bank — for money
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. bank — for money
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. stand — to bear
  16. shower — rain
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. cell — in biology
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. cell — a phone
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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