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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 like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. drill — army training
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. bank — for money
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. dip — to sink
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. perch — the fish
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. board — a committee
  15. board — to get on
  16. drill — a practice
  17. drill — the tool
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. stand — to bear
  21. bank — of a river
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. wake — a trail
  24. bank — for money

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