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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. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. board — to get on
  3. wound — an injury
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. track — a path
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. pop — to visit
  8. toast — bread
  9. bank — of a river
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. pop — music
  13. pop — soda
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. track — a song
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. wound — an injury
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. bank — for money
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. bank — for money
  24. track — to keep track

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