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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 captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. board — to get on
  3. bank — for money
  4. rule — a law
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. rule — government
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. board — a committee
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. roll — a cake
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. bound — obliged
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. bound — tied together
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. bank — for money
  22. bound — certain
  23. bank — of a river
  24. roll — a list

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