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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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. ball — a dance
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. board — to get on
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. ball — a great time
  8. bank — of a river
  9. band — a music group
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. band — a ring
  12. bank — for money
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. game — wild animals
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. bark — to shout
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. game — a match
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. board — a committee

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