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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. last — to go on
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. board — a committee
  7. vault — a safe
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. bank — for money
  11. rash — hasty
  12. rest — what's left
  13. rest — a break
  14. bank — for money
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. board — to get on
  18. last — finally
  19. rash — a series
  20. last — final
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. stand — to bear
  23. rest — what's left
  24. board — a flat piece

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